Svenska institutet
Svenska institutet is a Swedish government agency founded in 1945 that promotes Sweden internationally through scholarships, leadership programmes, cultural exchange (including Institut suédois in Paris), and funding schemes, funded by approximately SEK 560 million in annual state appropriations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1945
- HeadquartersStockholm, Sweden
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Svenska institutet does
Svenska institutet (the Swedish Institute) is a Swedish government agency founded in 1945 and operating under the authority of the Swedish Parliament and Government. It manages approximately SEK 560 million in annual state appropriations across four areas: international cooperation, international assistance, education and university research, and business. The agency employs approximately 120 staff across offices in Stockholm (Virkesvägen 2) and Paris (Institut suédois at 11 rue Payenne), with Paris functioning as Sweden's only cultural institute abroad.
SI's core offerings are scholarship programmes (SI Scholarship for Global Professionals and SI Scholarship Pioneering Women in STEM), leadership programmes (Impact Pioneers), funding schemes (SI Baltic Sea and Eastern Partnership Programme), and cultural programming through Institut suédois including exhibitions, artist residencies and Swedish language courses. The agency maintains an integrated digital ecosystem spanning si.se, sweden.se, studyinsweden.se and sharingsweden.se, complemented by seven segmented newsletters and active social channels. Approximately SEK 311 million of its annual funding flows through the international aid expenditure area, supporting scholarships, leadership training and project funds.
The agency's go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer digital distribution with event-driven international recruitment in markets such as India, Singapore, Indonesia and Spain, executed in partnership with Swedish embassies and Business Sweden through the Team Sweden Talent Attraction network. Services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries, with revenue derived almost exclusively from Swedish state appropriations rather than commercial transactions. The Institut suédois also operates Café FIKA as a separate commercial venture. SI's mission is to strengthen, protect and measure Sweden's international reputation to support trade, talent attraction, investment and cultural exchange.
Svenska institutet firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Svenska institutet
- Legal name
- Svenska institutet
- Website
- https://si.se
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1945
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Svenska institutet is a Swedish government agency founded in 1945 that promotes Sweden internationally through scholarships, leadership programmes, cultural exchange (including Institut suédois in Paris), and funding schemes, funded by approximately SEK 560 million in annual state appropriations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Svenska institutet industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Diplomacy and International Cultural Exchange Services
- NAICS
- Educational Services (611), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Merit-Based Scholarships (Academic Excellence) (EDAIAOAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Provider-Run International Internship Programs (Multi-Country/Multi-Industry) (EDAIAFAA), Virtual Recruitment Events, Fairs & Webinar Platforms (EDAIACAF), Erasmus+ and Government-Sponsored Exchange Partnerships (EDAIABAJ)
Keywords
Where Svenska institutet is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Stockholm
- HQ country
- Sweden
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Svenska institutet business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Government Appropriations: SI operates on behalf of the Swedish Parliament and Government and is financed mainly through appropriations from the state budget. SI manages approximately SEK 560 million in four areas: international cooperation, international assistance, education and university research, and business. Of SI's total funding, approximately SEK 311 million comes from the expenditure area for international aid, covering scholarships, leadership programs, and project funds.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
Svenska institutet product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Svenska institutet (SI) is a Swedish government agency that delivers fully-funded scholarships for international master's students at Swedish universities, leadership development programmes, project funding for international cooperation (notably in the Baltic Sea Region, EU Eastern Partnership and Ukraine), and Sweden-promotion services. It operates the Institut suédois in Paris as Sweden's only cultural institute abroad, providing art exhibitions, cultural events, residencies and Swedish language courses. SI also runs the Team Sweden Talent Attraction network and the Sweden Alumni Network, coordinating national efforts to strengthen Sweden's image and attract international talent.
Product overview
Svenska institutet (SI) is a Swedish public government agency that operates a portfolio of interconnected international exchange and promotion services. The core offering consists of scholarship programmes for international students (SI Scholarship for Global Professionals and SI Scholarship Pioneering Women in STEM), leadership programmes (Impact Pioneers), and funding schemes (SI Baltic Sea and Eastern Partnership Programme). SI operates the Institut suédois in Paris as Sweden's only cultural institute abroad, offering exhibitions, events, residencies, and Swedish language courses. The agency also maintains a network of branded information platforms including Study in Sweden, Sweden.se, and Sharing Sweden that collectively promote Sweden internationally. Team Sweden Talent Attraction coordinates national efforts to attract international competence to Sweden. These products are unified by SI's mission to strengthen, protect and track how Sweden is perceived abroad.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Study in Sweden: Website providing information for international students interested in studying in Sweden
- Sweden.se
- Sharing Sweden
- Team Sweden Talent Attraction
- Work in Sweden
Products and services
- SI Scholarship for Global Professionals Fully-funded master's scholarships for international professionals at Swedish universities, with selection based on academic achievement and leadership potential. Targets fields including STEM, innovation, entrepreneurship, public health and governance. Recipients selected from a global applicant pool (12,922 applicants, 232 awards for 2026/2027 from 33 countries).
- SI Scholarship Pioneering Women in STEM Dedicated scholarship programme promoting diversity in STEM sectors by awarding fully-funded master's scholarships to women from Africa and Asia for STEM-focused programmes at Swedish universities. 43 recipients in 2026/2027.
- SI Baltic Sea and Eastern Partnership Programme Funding programme enabling Swedish actors to initiate and develop cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region, contributing to the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, with options to include Ukrainian partners. Consolidates former project funding schemes and training programmes.
- Impact Pioneers Leadership Programme International leadership programme and collaboration accelerator focused on entrepreneurship, innovation and the green transition. Organised regionally with a Europe edition for ecosystem leaders from Eastern Europe, the Baltics and Sweden.
- Institut suédois (Swedish Institute Paris) Sweden's only cultural institute abroad, located at the Hôtel de Marle in Paris. Offers contemporary art exhibitions, multidisciplinary events (music, cinema, literature, performing arts), a permanent 18th-century art collection (managed with Nationalmuseum Stockholm), Swedish language courses, artist and researcher residencies, and Café FIKA. Free admission to exhibitions.
- Team Sweden Talent Attraction National network coordinated by SI that brings together Swedish actors (business, regions, municipalities, embassies, government agencies) to recruit international talent and promote Sweden as a talent destination. Includes an advisory board with representatives from business, regions and government agencies.
- Sweden Alumni Network Network connecting former scholarship recipients who studied in Sweden, including a Sweden Alumni Resource Hub for certified alumni network board members. Maintains ongoing engagement with Sweden through information sharing, alumni activities and continued brand ambassadorship.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 150 million people reached worldwide through SI communications
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Svenska institutet
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Svenska institutet technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature2 records
Svenska institutet partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Nationalmuseum, StockholmcoreNationalmuseum manages the collections and permanent exhibition of Institut suédois. Collaborates on exhibitions such as the 18th-century art collection and special exhibitions including 'A New World' permanent exhibition and 'France, Sweden and the Ottoman Empire'. Curator Martin Olin serves as chef for collections at Nationalmuseum.
- Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS)coreSI collaborates with CBSS on organizing sessions at the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region Annual Forum, particularly on Ukraine cooperation topics. CBSS moderates panel discussions while SI contributes perspectives on funding opportunities.
- KTH Royal Institute of TechnologyminorSeven-year collaboration under EU-funded twinning project focused on research and best practice exchange between Latvia and Sweden.
- RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden)minorSeven-year collaboration under EU-funded twinning project focused on research and best practice exchange.
- Statistics Sweden (SCB)minorSCB received SI support to initiate cooperation with Ukraine's statistical authority for strengthening Ukraine's statistical system, which grew from a small pilot to a major EU initiative.
- Swedish Universities and Higher Education InstitutionscoreSI partners with Swedish universities for scholarship programmes, hosting international students and facilitating alumni networks. Universities benefit from increased internationalization.
- Swedish Embassies and ConsulatescoreSwedish embassies and consulates serve as distribution channels for Sweden promotion materials, career events, and talent attraction initiatives. Part of the Team Sweden network coordinated by SI.
- Business SwedencoreBusiness Sweden partners with SI on international recruitment events, such as Work in Sweden events at Bengaluru Tech Summit in India.
- Teknikföretagen (Confederation of Swedish Enterprise)minorCo-organizer of the 'Reports release and seminar on Swedish attractiveness' focusing on talent attraction, bringing together industry and public sector actors.
- Institut Français de SuèdeminorCo-founder of 'Résonances', a curatorial exchange programme between France and Sweden connecting visual arts institutions, along with IASPIS and Institut suédois.
- IASPISminorCo-founder of 'Résonances' curatorial exchange programme between France and Sweden.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Svenska institutet competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Erasmus+ (European Commission): EU's programme supporting education, training, youth, and sport across Europe, including international mobility and university partnerships. Comparable to SI's exchange and partnership programmes, though operating at supranational scale and partially funded through EU mechanisms.
Direct peers
- Fulbright Program: US flagship international educational exchange programme offering scholarships and academic exchanges. Comparable to SI's scholarship portfolio and alumni network, though operated as a binational partnership programme rather than a single national agency.
- Goethe-Institut: Germany's cultural institute operating in ~98 countries with ~160 offices, promoting German language and culture, running scholarships, and managing cultural programming. Closest functional peer to SI given shared state-mandate model and scholarship/cultural dual focus.
- Nuffic: Netherlands' organisation for internationalisation of education, managing scholarships (Orange Tulip, Holland), student recruitment, and policy analysis. Comparable to SI's scholarship administration, international student recruitment, and education-system internationalisation work.
- British Council: The UK government's international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. Directly comparable to SI as a state-mandated agency promoting a national brand, scholarships, cultural programming, and English-language teaching across ~200 offices worldwide.
- Instituto Cervantes: Spain's official institution promoting Spanish language and culture globally with ~80 centres. Comparable to SI as a state agency running language courses, scholarships, and cultural programming tied to a national brand mandate.
- DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst): Germany's national agency for international academic cooperation, awarding scholarships and managing university partnerships. Directly comparable to SI's scholarship and academic exchange functions (SI Scholarship for Global Professionals, partnerships with Swedish universities).
- Alliance Française: France's international network of ~800+ French language and cultural centres. Comparable to SI as a national cultural-promotion network combining language instruction, scholarships, and cultural events, though structured as a federation rather than a single state agency.
- Campus France: France's national agency for the promotion of higher education, international student services, and alumni engagement. Closely comparable to SI's Study in Sweden and Work in Sweden platforms and international student recruitment functions.
- Japan Foundation: Japan's public institution executing international cultural exchange, Japanese-language promotion, and intellectual exchange. Comparable to SI as a state-mandated cultural diplomacy agency combining language, arts, scholarships, and image-management functions.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Svenska institutet social profiles
Digital presenceSvenska institutet financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Svenska institutet leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Svenska institutet subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Svenska institutet funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Svenska institutet M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Svenska institutet
What does Svenska institutet do?
Svenska institutet (SI) is a Swedish government agency that delivers fully-funded scholarships for international master's students at Swedish universities, leadership development programmes, project funding for international cooperation (notably in the Baltic Sea Region, EU Eastern Partnership and Ukraine), and Sweden-promotion services. It operates the Institut suédois in Paris as Sweden's only cultural institute abroad, providing art exhibitions, cultural events, residencies and Swedish language courses. SI also runs the Team Sweden Talent Attraction network and the Sweden Alumni Network, coordinating national efforts to strengthen Sweden's image and attract international talent.
Is Svenska institutet a public or private company?
Svenska institutet is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Svenska institutet founded?
Svenska institutet was founded in 1945.
Where is Svenska institutet based?
Svenska institutet is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, in the Europe region.
How does Svenska institutet make money?
One revenue line is on record: government Appropriations.
Who are Svenska institutet's main competitors?
Erasmus+ (European Commission) is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Fulbright Program, Goethe-Institut, Nuffic, British Council, Instituto Cervantes, DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst), Alliance Française, Campus France and Japan Foundation.
Does Svenska institutet have an API?
No public API is recorded for Svenska institutet.
What industry is Svenska institutet in?
Svenska institutet's product category is Public Diplomacy and International Cultural Exchange Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAIAOAA, Merit-Based Scholarships (Academic Excellence), with a secondary code of EDAIAFAA, Provider-Run International Internship Programs (Multi-Country/Multi-Industry). Its NAICS code is 611 and its SIC code is 8200.