2. Facts on women’s entrepreneurship in Sweden
New enterprises: women account for 35 per cent of all new business starters
Self-employment: 5 per cent of the women in the working force are self-employed
Attitudes towards entrepreneurship: 3 out of 10 young women
(18-30 years) would rather be self-employed than employed
Sources: ITPS, Eurostat (Labour Force Surveys), Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth

3. If more women were to start and run businesses it…
strengthen Swedish economy and development
would increase the number of women that can be recruited as board members and managing directors
could lead to increased diversity in the service sector, such as health care and education, that is now partly opened up for private competition

4. How is it promoted?
General actions
Targeted actions
Lucky Look

5. Some general actions Abolishment of wealth tax
Tax relief for household services
Work in order to reduce the administrative burdens on companies with 25 percent by 2010
Strengthening the incentives to employ

6. Promoting entrepreneurship in the health care and nursing sector
Increasing the maximum level of micro-loans
Improving the social security system for entrepreneurs
Investigating the possibility to introduce a new form of limited liability company with simpler regulation and lower equity requirements

7. Targeted actions National programme Research Improved statistics
Ambassadors for women’s enterprise
Measures to increase the number of women as board members

8. National programme to promote women’s enterprise
Objective: More business starts among women and increased growth in companies run by women
Budget: 100 million SEK a year,
National coordinator: Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth.

9. The national programme
Information, advice and business development
Actions in existing entrepreneurial programmes
Development of financial opportunities
Attitudes and role models
Lucky Look

10. 1. Information, advice and business development
Business and innovation development measures at regional level
Training of business advisers
Development of internet-based services
Start-up days

11. 2. Actions in existing entrepreneurial programmes
Ownership-change programme
National entrepreneurial programme
National mentorship programme

12. 3. Development of financial opportunities
Innovation financing
Business angel networks
Analysis of the government supply of capital
Service innovation contest

13. 4. Attitudes and role models
Making women’s enterprise more visible
Promoting business women as role models
Make existing actors and networks available for more business women

14. Ambassadors for women’s enterprise
Role models for women’s enterprise
880 business women from all parts of Sweden, who represent a great variety of branches
They are to inspire others by sharing their stories and experiences as entrepreneurs

15. Increased knowledge about women’s enterprise
Research programme 2007–2009
Improved access to sex- disaggregated company statistics
Lucky Look

16. Board member programme for women
200 women will be part of a mentorship programme and will be given a grant for further studies

17. For more information about…
… the programme:
… the ambassadors:
… the research:
… the board member programme for women:
Overall information on the government's work for women's enterprise:
Contact person at the Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communication
Soledad Aguilar Oddershede,