Robert(43)

I had a software company in Eindhoven for twelve years — eight employees, great clients, but I was stuck. The Dutch market felt small, the tax burden high, and the administrative load only growing. When a Swedish business partner invited me to co-found an AI startup in Uppsala, I saw an opportunity I couldn't pass up.

Setting up an aktiebolag (AB) — the Swedish equivalent of a Ltd — is surprisingly straightforward. You register with Bolagsverket, the Swedish Companies Registration Office. The minimum share capital is 25,000 SEK (about €2,200), much lower than it used to be. Registration took ten business days. You need a Swedish-registered revisor (accountant) if you exceed certain thresholds, but for small companies it's not mandatory.

The Swedish tax system is transparent and fair. Corporate tax is 20.6% — lower than in the Netherlands. What surprised me is how digital everything is. Via Skatteverket you file your VAT returns online, and communication with Bolagsverket is entirely via digital mail. No paperwork hassle, no waiting at counters. As an entrepreneur used to Dutch bureaucracy, this felt like a breath of fresh air.

Uppsala is an underrated city for entrepreneurship. It has one of Europe's oldest universities, a strong biotech and tech cluster, and direct connections to Stockholm. Uppsala Science Park houses dozens of startups and scale-ups. Office space rental is half of Stockholm. And the university provides a constant stream of talent — my first two Swedish employees came straight from Uppsala University.

Swedish business culture took some getting used to. Decisions are made by consensus here — everyone needs to agree before moving forward. That feels slow, but the result is that decisions are truly supported. Hierarchy exists, but it's subtle. My Swedish colleagues call me by my first name and expect me to take their opinions seriously, regardless of their position. It's egalitarian in a way the Netherlands claims to be but Sweden actually is.

After two years, the company is doing well. We have ten employees, mainly Swedish engineers, and our first enterprise clients in the Nordics. My advice to Dutch entrepreneurs: if you're serious about international business, look at Sweden. The infrastructure is excellent, the government is reliable, and the Swedish market is a springboard to the rest of Scandinavia. The only downside? You sometimes miss the Dutch directness. But a good fika makes up for a lot.