Carmen(40)

After twelve years in the fashion industry in Eindhoven — first at Coolcat, then as a freelance product manager — I wanted to start my own brand. Sustainable fashion, made in Europe, affordable for the masses. The Dutch market is small and conservative. When a Swedish friend told me about the Malmö startup ecosystem and the focus on hållbarhet (sustainability), I went to investigate.

Setting up an aktiebolag in Sweden is simpler and cheaper than a BV in the Netherlands. Minimum share capital is 25,000 SEK (€2,200), registration at Bolagsverket takes ten business days, and everything is digital. Malmö has a thriving startup ecosystem: MINC (Malmö Incubator) offers free office space, mentors and access to investors. I was accepted into their accelerator program.

The Öresund region is a goldmine for a fashion business. In Malmö you have Swedish designers and sustainability expertise; in Copenhagen you have Scandinavia's largest fashion trade fair (CIFF) and access to Danish design talent. I travel over the Öresund Bridge weekly — fifteen minutes by train. It's like having two cities for the price of one.

As an entrepreneur with an aktiebolag I had my personnummer within four weeks. Folkbokföring at Skatteverket opened all doors: BankID, bank account at SEB, and access to Almi — the Swedish government organization that provides loans to startups. Almi gave me a loan of 500,000 SEK at favorable terms. In the Netherlands no bank would have touched me as a starting entrepreneur.

Sweden's focus on sustainability isn't marketing — it's in the culture. Consumers are willing to pay more for GOTS-certified clothing, and the government offers tax benefits for circular businesses. My brand makes clothing from recycled Swedish wood (Lyocell) and sells through our own webshop and three Swedish boutiques.

Malmö as a city to live in is perfect for an entrepreneur. Rents are lower than Stockholm, the city is compact and bikeable, and the atmosphere is creative and young. Möllevången is the beating heart — multicultural markets, hipster cafés and coworking spaces. After two years I have six employees, growing revenue and the feeling that I'm exactly where I need to be.