What Thoren Business School does

Affärsgymnasiet (formerly Thoren Business School) is a Swedish private upper secondary school (gymnasium) operating nine campuses across Sweden under the Edukatus Alliance AB group. It serves students aged 15-18 through four national programs — Ekonomiprogrammet (Economics, with Law specialization), Naturvetenskapsprogrammet (Natural Science, with Science & Society specialization), Samhällsvetenskapsprogrammet (Social Science, with Behavioral Science specialization), and Försäljning och serviceprogrammet (Sales and Service) — augmented by a Sports Academy (LIU) at the Umeå campus offering ice hockey, football, riding, floorball, and health profiles. The school's distinguishing feature is the integration of Ung Företagsamhet (Young Entrepreneurship) into the curriculum: every student runs a UF company, participates in case work with real businesses, and competes in regional and international Dragon's Den events.

The core technology is a proprietary intranet called Progress (progress.edukatus.se), developed internally for teachers, students, and parents to access educational materials and manage school communications. International programming is delivered through partnerships with schools in South Africa (Ezakheleni High School via Star for Life), Uganda (Rwampara Vocational Secondary School), and Erasmus+ exchanges across Europe.

The business model is government-funded: Swedish upper secondary education is tuition-free for students, and the school receives per-capita public funding based on enrollment and performance metrics. Distribution runs through the centralized municipal gymnasieantagning admissions system, supplemented by open-house events (Öppet hus), a 'Student for a Day' program, Instagram presence per campus, a student newspaper (Agdiamanten at Helsingborg), and partnerships with municipal career guidance counselors (SYV). The school has ~95 employees and operates alongside ~50 preschools, primary schools, and adult-education facilities within the Edukatus Alliance, which collectively educates over 10,000 learners across ~30 Swedish locations.

Name

Thoren Business School

Legal name

Edukatus Alliance AB

Website

https://affarsgymnasiet.se

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Affärsgymnasiet (formerly Thoren Business School) is a Swedish private upper secondary school operating nine campuses under Edukatus Alliance AB, delivering four national programs plus a Sports Academy, differentiated by mandatory UF entrepreneurship companies and government per-capita funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Upper Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Marketing, Sales & Brand Management Schools (EDAHAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Business, Entrepreneurship & Case Competitions (DECA-style, Pitch, Case) (EDAMAGAJ)

Keywords

• Upper secondary education
• Business education programs
• Entrepreneurship training
• Sports academy programs
• Gymnasium education

Headquarters

HQ city

Gävle

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government-Funded Education: Swedish upper secondary education is fully funded by government through municipal and national education funding. Students attend free of charge. Revenue comes from government per-capita funding based on enrollment numbers and performance metrics.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Thoren Business School, now operating as Affärsgymnasiet, is a Swedish private upper secondary school (gymnasium) offering university-preparatory programs with a strong business and entrepreneurship focus. It delivers four national programs (Economics, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, and Sales & Service) across 9 Swedish campuses, all featuring mandatory UF (Ung Företagsamhet) student-run companies, real business case work, and Dragon's Den-style pitch competitions. The school is government-funded, charging no tuition, and also runs a Sports Academy (LIU) for student-athletes combining elite sports with full academic study.

Product overview

Affärsgymnasiet (formerly Thoren Business School) is a Swedish upper secondary school (gymnasium) offering four main national programs with business and entrepreneurship as a common thread. The school operates across 9 locations in Sweden and is part of Edukatus Alliance. Programs include Ekonomiprogrammet (Economy Program) with specializations in Economics and Law, Naturvetenskapsprogrammet (Natural Science Program) with specializations in Natural Science and Science & Society, Samhällsvetenskapsprogrammet (Social Science Program) with specialization in Behavioral Science, and Försäljning och serviceprogrammet (Sales and Service Program). The Umeå location offers Sports Academy with Local Approved Sports Education (LIU) including hockey, football, and other sports. All programs emphasize practical learning through UF (Young Entrepreneurship) companies, real business cases, and industry partnerships. The school also provides Progress, a proprietary intranet for teachers, students and parents.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ekonomiprogrammet (Economy Program) A three-year upper secondary economics program preparing students for higher education or careers in business, with tracks in General Economics and Law. Targeted at Swedish students aged 15-18.
• Naturvetenskapsprogrammet (Natural Science Program) Three-year natural science program combining biology, physics, chemistry and mathematics with real-world applications and a business perspective. Targeted at students aiming for medicine, engineering, or research careers.
• Samhällsvetenskapsprogrammet (Social Science Program) Three-year social science program combining classical social sciences with a clear business perspective, training students to influence, persuade, and make a difference. Includes a Behavioral Science specialization.
• Försäljning och serviceprogrammet (Sales and Service Program) Vocational three-year program focused on customer service, sales, and business development, including practical workplace training (APL). Provides a fast track into the labor market after gymnasium.
• Affärsgymnasiet Sports Academy (LIU) Local Approved Sports Education (LIU) allowing student-athletes to combine elite sports training (hockey, football, riding, floorball, health) with a full upper secondary education across all school programs. Offered at Umeå campus.
• UF företag (Young Entrepreneurship) A cross-program entrepreneurship program where every student starts and operates a real student company (UF-företag), developing practical business skills, pitching to investors via Dragon's Den-style events, and engaging with real companies through case work.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students gain eligibility for university studies including prestigious programs at Handelshögskolan
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Rwampara Vocational Secondary SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partner school in Uganda near the border with DRC and Rwanda. Students and teachers from Affärsgymnasiet Karlstad visited to plant trees with the Batwa indigenous people and work on UN Global Goals projects. Plans include five years of student exchanges, tree planting, and plastic recycling initiatives.
• Ezakheleni High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Partnership school in the Kwa Zulu Natal region of South Africa. Elevers and staff from Affärsgymnasiet Helsingborg visit annually for cultural exchange and entrepreneurship education workshops. The partnership, organized through Star for Life and partially funded by Atlas program, celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2026. Swedish students teach entrepreneurship and UF methodology to South African students.
• Star for LifecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016International organization that provides coaches for students at Ezakheleni High School in South Africa. The organization helps create motivation among South African youth and encourages them to focus on education as a path to achieving their dreams.
• Grums IK HockeycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal ice hockey club partnering with Affärsgymnasiet Sports Academy in Karlstad. Approximately 40 students in grades 1 and 2 play in Grums IK Hockey's J18 program. The collaboration enables students to combine hockey training with their upper secondary education.
• Umeå Performance CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining facility used by Affärsgymnasiet Sports Academy Umeå for hockey and other sports students to receive professional athletic training and strength conditioning.
• O'Leary'sminorOthersRestaurant chain where Affärsgymnasiet Umeå students have lunch daily. Students collectively choose the menu options at the restaurant.
• Atlas ProgramcoreOthersSwedish government-funded international exchange program for development work. Provides partial funding for international school partnerships including exchanges with South Africa and Uganda. Part of Sweden's international development cooperation.
• Erasmus+coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU program for education, youth and sport that supports international cooperation and mobility within Europe. Affärsgymnasiet Malmö participates in Erasmus+ for international entrepreneurship days and Dragon's Den competitions with European partner schools.
• Malmö CitadellgymnasiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal upper secondary school in Malmö that collaborates with Affärsgymnasiet Malmö on the annual international Dragon's Den competition.
• Karlstad MunicipalitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKarlstad Municipality is working with Affärsgymnasiet Sports Academy to ensure all students have new school placements when the school closes in June 2027. Students in grades 10 and 11 can complete their studies; grade 9 students will be offered places at Tingvallagymnasiet.
• HetchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization and tech community in Helsingborg that helps startups. Former Affärsgymnasiet students now work at Hetch, coaching current students during Dragon's Den competitions.
• Svenska IshockeyförbundetcoreOthersSwedish Ice Hockey Association that provides quality certification to hockey programs at Affärsgymnasiet Sports Academy. Certification gives schools higher status in hockey contexts.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Ekonomprogrammet (public municipal Ekonomiprogrammet): The publicly funded Economics programme offered in Sweden's municipal gymnasiums is the default free alternative that every private business-gymnasium competes against in municipal admissions rankings. Directly comparable curriculum but delivers via the public system rather than as a private provider.

Direct peers

• Hermods: Long-standing Swedish education provider delivering gymnasium, vocational and adult learning programmes both in-person and online. Comparable in programme breadth, private-school model and reliance on Swedish public funding.
• NTI Gymnasiet: Swedish private gymnasium operator providing natural science, social science and technology programmes across multiple cities. Comparable in programme mix, private status and municipal-admissions distribution.
• Realgymnasiet: Private Swedish gymnasium with multiple locations focusing on vocational and applied programmes such as animal care, health and trades. Comparable as a multi-site private upper secondary operator drawing from the same admissions pool.
• Praktiska Gymnasiet: Swedish private gymnasium chain operating multiple campuses nationwide, competing for the same 15-18 age cohort through municipal admissions. Comparable in private schooling model, programme structure and funding dependence.
• Yrkesgymnasiet: Sibling school under the same Edukatus Alliance AB parent, offering vocational upper secondary programmes in Sweden. Most directly comparable to Affärsgymnasiet in corporate parent, governance, admissions model and student segment.
• Lernia: Swedish education and training group with vocational and gymnasium-level offerings for the same 15-18 and adult learner segments. Comparable as a multi-site private education operator funded through public per-capita mechanisms.
• Kunskapsgymnasiet: Swedish private gymnasium brand within AcadeMedia offering Economics, Natural Science and Social Science programmes with multi-location coverage. Directly comparable as a private upper secondary chain competing for the same student segment.

Broad incumbents

• AcadeMedia: Largest private education company in the Nordic region, operating preschools, compulsory schools and upper secondary schools across multiple brands. Directly comparable parent-company analogue to Edukatus Alliance and competes for the same Swedish student pool.
• Internationella Engelska Skolan (IES): One of the largest free-school operators in Sweden, running both compulsory and upper secondary schools nationwide. Comparable as a multi-site private school operator in Sweden but operates at considerably larger scale across a broader age range.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/affarsgymnasietumea
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/d-a-clothing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Thoren Business School