SSE Business Lab is the startup incubator of the Stockholm School of Economics (SSE), one of Europe’s top business schools. Since its founding in 2001, the incubator has supported more than 300 startups, including some of Sweden’s most recognized success stories such as Klarna, Voi, Instabee (formerly Budbee), and Legora. Over the past two decades, SSE Business Lab has evolved into a structured innovation platform that connects early-stage founders with the tools, networks, and capital required to build globally scalable businesses.
“There would be no Klarna without SSE Business Lab,”
– Niklas Adalberth, co-founder of Klarna –
STRUCTURED PROGRAMS FOR SCALABLE INNOVATION
SSE Business Lab admits new companies three times a year and operates two distinct programs tailored to startups at different stages of development:
- Activate: This is an intensive program for early-stage ideas. It helps founders quickly move their concept to the market through validation with the support of hands-on coaching and a network of peers. Both Activate and Incubate companies get access to office space.
- Incubate: Designed for companies with a proven, scalable business model, this program focuses on rapid growth and scaling. It provides 18 months of in-depth support, including office space at SSE’s House of Innovation, expert business coaching, and workshops. Incubate companies also receive more advanced help with investors and a potential investment from SSE Ventures, along with access to a partner network worth 17 million SEK.
President of the Stockholm School of Economics, Isabel Keulen, CEO and Sebastian Knutsson, Board of Admissions.
Photo by Juliana Wolf Garcindo
What truly makes SSE Business Lab special is its strong community of founders. In recent years, many successful entrepreneurs who have built and sold companies for billions have chosen to start their new ventures here. This creates a unique environment where experienced founders work closely with those just starting out, speeding up learning and raising the bar for everyone.
“When founders at that level choose to join us, it’s a clear sign that we offer something no other place in the Nordics can,” says Sebastian Knutsson, Chairman of the Admissions Committee and co-founder of the global game company, King.
RECOGNITION
In recent years, SSE Business Lab has gained international recognition for the outcomes of its support model. In 2024, the Financial Times and Statista evaluated over 3,000 incubators and startup hubs across Europe. SSE Business Lab was awarded first place in Europe for “Best Track Record”, acknowledging its history of producing successful and sustainable companies.
In the most recent 2025 edition of the Financial Times ranking, SSE Business Lab placed eighth overall in Europe and was ranked as the leading incubator in the Nordic region. These rankings are based on feedback from founders, expert opinions from investors, and the commercial performance of companies emerging from each incubator.
SSE VENTURES: A STRATEGIC CAPITAL PARTNER
To further support early-stage ventures within the incubator, SSE Business Lab’s dedicated investment fund provides a capital injection. Acting as the first investor, the fund typically commits 300,000 SEK per company on standard terms, with flexibility to make larger investments when appropriate. All investments are structured either as a convertible note or as part of a priced equity round.
Importantly, SSE Ventures brings more than funding. The presence of the fund on a startup’s cap table opens the door to a curated network of angel investors and venture capital firms that are otherwise difficult to access at an early stage. The fund’s investors were selected specifically for their ability to co-invest and support founders strategically in future rounds.
A NORDIC PLATFORM WITH GLOBAL REACH
As the startup landscape in Europe matures, SSE Business Lab and SSE Ventures provide a blueprint for how incubators and pre-seed funds can play a central role in nurturing entrepreneurship. Rooted in academic excellence and enhanced by private-sector engagement, the combined platform supports the creation of innovative, sustainable, and investor-ready businesses.
With a growing network of founders, mentors, and capital partners and an expanding presence on the European innovation stage, SSE Business Lab and SSE Ventures continue to serve as a launchpad for startups with global ambition.
