About Swedfund

Swedfund has two tools that we employ to deliver on our mission. We make investments in the private sector and finance feasibility studies in the public sector through the Project Accelerator. Both are mutually reinforcing processes that enable us to work holistically on our mission as a development finance institution. We see great opportunities to invest sustainably for impact and good financial returns in challenging contexts.

Swedfund invests to contribute to jobs with decent working conditions and increased access to essential products and services such as electricity, food and digital connectivity. Our investments promote innovation, enable more companies to meet international standards, increase local value creation and facilitate economic diversification. Swedfund also invests in mitigation, adaptation and resilience to support a green transition in developing countries.

Through technical feasibility studies and capacity-building initiatives in the public sector, we lay the foundation for more sustainable and investable infrastructure projects in developing countries. A well-developed infrastructure is central to poverty reduction, economic development and increased trade, where Swedish companies can be part of the solution to the challenges that exist in developing countries.

Swedfund was established in 1979 and is a state-owned company managed by the Swedish Ministry of Finance. Our operations are financed by reflows from the portfolio and through capital injections from the development cooperation budget, for which the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs is responsible.

Swedfund has a public policy assignment with specific mission objectives focused on sustainable value creation and the 2030 Agenda. Our public policy assignment is based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on reducing inequality, decent work, climate, women's economic empowerment and capital mobilisation.

Read more about our goals in our Integrated Report

Find out more about our goals: Our goals for creating sustainable value

We also comply with a number of policies, guidelines, regulatory frameworks, undertakings and international principles. Find out more: Guidelines and policies

Swedfund’s mission is to act additionally and catalytically. by attracting private capital for investments. This means that we enable investments that would otherwise not take place.

Swedfund assesses additionality according to the OECD Development Assistance Committee’s definition which includes financial, value and development additionality. Within value additionality we assess an investment’s sustainability and societal impact. The definition of financial additionality includes contributing to capital mobilisation.

We are additional by:

• investing in the private sector, mobilising capital and building capacity to promote development and growth;
• carrying out feasibility studies and capacity-building initiatives via the Project Accelerator for sustainable development of public infrastructure, where Swedish companies can be part of the solution.

As a development finance institution, taking risk is a pivotal part of our mission and business. We are catalytic by taking risks and showcasing opportunities. Our ambition is to act as a bridge to private capital and contribute to mobilise private capital to developing countries through investments and feasibility studies that lay the foundation for more investable infrastructure projects.

Implementing sustainable investments that generate both impact and financial returns has an important demonstration effect and facilitates the mobilisation of institutional capital.

Swedfund's risk management method aims to achieve risk optimisation based on our mission goals and business model, rather than risk minimisation in every respect.