Cedergrenska

What Cedergrenska does

Cedergrenska AB is a publicly listed Swedish education conglomerate (Nasdaq First North Growth Market, ticker CEDER, ISIN SE0015811922, headquartered at Birger Jarlsgatan 57A in Stockholm) founded in 1994 that operates a multi-brand portfolio of 54 schools and preschools serving approximately 11,360 children and students with 1,800 employees. The company operates across the full Swedish education vertical — preschool (förskola), compulsory school (grundskola), upper secondary (gymnasieskola), adult education including SFI, and specialized resource schools (NPF / special needs) — and retains each school's individual brand and identity to preserve local community recognition. The group includes wholly-owned support-service subsidiaries Cedergrenska Mat (food service, launched Feb 2024 and expanded via the Aug 2025 CM Skolmat AB kitchen acquisition) and Cedergrenska Lokalvård (cleaning services, launched 2022), as well as internal digital tools Naja (IT/service desk) and Cedergrenskaportalen.

The business model is publicly funded and recurring: Cedergrenska receives per-pupil government funding (skolpeng) from Swedish municipalities for each enrolled student, with no tuition charged to families. Revenue therefore scales with student enrollment, augmented by acquired schools. Underlying technology is modest — the core platform is the Naja internal service portal — and the company's stated differentiator is organizing operations around the pedagogue as the most important factor in child development, supported by an 8-year trainee program, förstelärare positions, and pedagogical development programs such as USiP and BRAVOLesson.

Growth has been driven primarily by acquisitions: Aprendere Skolor AB (Dec 2024, 18 schools, combined group now 46 operations), Skärgårdsgymnasiet Norrtälje (Jul 2025), Christinaskolan and Christinagymnasiet on Lidingö (Dec 2025), and Carl Wahren Gymnasium plus Skärgårdsgymnasiet Åkersberga (Jul 2026). FY2024/25 revenue reached 1,232,628 KSEK (~1.23 B SEK), up 35.8% YoY, with EBITA margin improving to 7.6% from 6.2%. Cedergrenska has financed expansion via a 250 MSEK revolving credit facility with Danske Bank, executed a synthetic share buyback via Pareto Securities (10% of shares), and announced a planned transition to IFRS and Nasdaq Stockholm Main Market listing with EY as advisor.

Name

Cedergrenska

Legal name

Cedergrenska AB

Website

https://cedergrenska.se

Company type

Public

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Cedergrenska AB is a Swedish education conglomerate operating 54 independent schools and preschools serving approximately 11,360 students across nine counties. Revenue is generated through per-pupil state funding (skolpeng), with growth driven by school acquisitions and internal support services including food and cleaning.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent School Operations (K-12 and Adult Education)

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Other Schools and Instruction (6116)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools (EDAJABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Charter School Networks (Multi-Site) (EDAJACAC)

Keywords

• Independent school operator
• Preschool and primary education
• Upper secondary education
• Adult education services
• School food services

Headquarters

HQ city

Stockholm

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. School operations - state funding (skolpeng): Cedergrenska operates independent schools (friskolor) receiving per-pupil government funding (skolpeng) from municipalities for each enrolled student in preschool, compulsory school, and upper secondary. Revenue scales with enrollment and is predictable based on pupil numbers. The group also operates adult education (komvux), resource schools, and specialist schools, all funded through similar per-capita mechanisms.
2. Aprendere acquisition (2024): In December 2024, Cedergrenska completed the acquisition of Aprendere Skolor AB through a public offer (0.4 new Cedergrenska shares + 0.50 SEK cash per Aprendere share), adding 18 schools and significantly expanding the group's footprint and revenue base. The combined group encompasses 46 total operations.
3. Cedergrenska Mat (catering): The group operates Cedergrenska Mat, an internal food service providing school meals to group schools, generating revenue as a cost center/service to internal units and potentially external clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Cedergrenska is a Swedish education conglomerate that operates a portfolio of 54 independent schools and preschools (friskolor) serving roughly 11,360 children and students from early childhood education (förskola) through compulsory school (grundskola), upper secondary (gymnasieskola) and adult education (vuxenutbildning), including specialized resource schools. The group receives per-pupil government funding (skolpeng) from municipalities and supplements its schools with in-house shared services: Cedergrenska Mat (school meals), Cedergrenska Lokalvård (cleaning), and an internal IT portal (Naja). Each acquired school typically retains its original brand identity while benefiting from central scale.

Product overview

Cedergrenska is an education conglomerate operating a multi-brand portfolio of 54 schools and preschools serving approximately 11,360 children and students with 1,800 employees. The portfolio spans from preschool (förskola) through upper secondary education (gymnasieskola) and adult education (vuxenutbildning), including specialized resource schools. Each school typically retains its own brand identity and operational autonomy. The company also operates two internal support services: Cedergrenska Mat (food service providing handmade school meals) and Cedergrenska Lokalvård (cleaning services). Digital tools include the internal Naja IT service portal and Cedergrenskaportalen. A trainee program provides newly qualified teachers with mentorship and leadership development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cedergrenska Mat: Internal food services operation providing meals to schools within the group
• Cedergrenska Lokalvård
• Naja
• Draknästet
• Cedergrenskaportalen

Products and services

• Preschools (Förskolor) Early childhood education and care services for preschool-age children across multiple preschool brands operated by Cedergrenska.
• Primary Schools (Grundskolor) Compulsory primary education (grades F-9) operating under several distinct school brands, including resource and special-education profiles.
• Upper Secondary Schools (Gymnasieskolor) Upper secondary education offering vocational programs (yrkesprogram), higher-preparatory programs (högskoleförberedande), and specialized profiles such as sports and psychology across multiple gymnasium brands.
• Adult Education (Vuxenutbildning) Adult education including SFI (Swedish for immigrants), vocational training, and other continuing-education programs offered by group schools.
• Resource Schools (Resursskolor) for NPF and special needs Specialized education services for students with neuropsychiatric conditions (NPF) and other special needs, including individualized education plans and adapted learning environments.
• Cedergrenska Mat In-house food service operation providing nutritious, handmade school meals across group schools, with centralized preparation kitchens.
• Cedergrenska Lokalvård In-house cleaning services for school facilities, expanding to manage more units internally for increased quality and profitability.

Quantifiable outcome

• EBITA margin improved to 7.6% (FY 2024/25) from 6.2% the prior year, with full-year EBITA of 94,197 KSEK.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Analyst GroupminorOthers · 13 October 2025Cedergrenska is analyzed by Analyst Group, which publishes research coverage on the company as an external analyst.
• Gymnasiemässan NordvästminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 24 September 2025Cedergrenska's Gymnasiemässan Nordväst is a local education fair initiative that collaborates with gymnasium.se to help students and families make upper secondary school choices.
• Karolinska InstitutetminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 September 2025Sofiaängen, a Cedergrenska school focused on special education, is highlighted by Karolinska Institutet for its work strengthening students' mental health.
• NationalmuseumminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 September 2024Helleborusskolan has a unique collaboration with Nationalmuseum in Stockholm, combining art and pedagogy across the curriculum.
• Skolverket (Swedish National Agency for Education)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 February 2023Cedergrenska initiated regular quality dialogues with Skolverket and SPSM (Specialpedagogiska skolmyndigheten), engaging in systematic quality improvement discussions with government agencies.
• SPSM (Specialpedagogiska skolmyndigheten)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 February 2023Cedergrenska participates in quality dialogues with SPSM alongside Skolverket, focusing on special education quality and support.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Norrtälje friskolekoncern-style operators (regional friskolor): Network of small Swedish independent school operators that are typical tuck-in acquisition targets and direct competitors for student enrollment in regional markets such as Norrtälje and Norrort.

Direct peers

• Watma Education: Smaller Swedish independent school operator running a multi-brand portfolio of friskolor, structurally comparable to Cedergrenska as a tuck-in M&A consolidator in the same regulatory environment.
• AcadeMedia: Largest independent education provider in the Nordics, operating preschools, compulsory schools, and upper secondary schools in Sweden on the same per-pupil skolpeng funding model. Closest like-for-like competitor and benchmark for M&A-driven consolidation.
• Vittras: Swedish independent school group operating preschool, compulsory, and upper secondary schools; competes for both students and acquisition targets in the same friskola market.
• Internationella Engelska Skolan (IES): Swedish-listed independent school operator running bilingual compulsory and upper secondary schools funded by skolpeng; competes directly for students, teachers, and acquisition targets in the same regulatory environment.
• Kunskapsskolan: Swedish independent school operator with compulsory and upper secondary schools using a personalized learning model, competing in the same skolpeng-funded market and in similar geographies.
• Pysslingen (AcadeMedia): Swedish preschool chain within AcadeMedia; directly comparable to Cedergrenska's preschool operations (Fredsborg Förskola, SPIRA, Täby Förskola) on funding, regulation, and operational model.

Broad incumbents

• Nord Anglia Education: Large international K-12 operator with premium schools across multiple countries; useful broad-incumbent benchmark for multi-site school operator economics, capital allocation, and M&A playbook at scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cedergrenska
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cedergrenska

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries7 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 Cedergrenska