After eight excellent years of promoting women’s entrepreneurship in Sweden, the newly-elected government has closed programmatic support in this area (thus highlighting once again that elections do matter).

In wrapping up their efforts, however, Tillväxtverket (the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth) has compiled some lessons learned reports. Here, for your enlightenment, are:

• 8 years with promoting women’s entrepreneurship in Sweden
• Below the surface: what’s the talk and who gets the money II?
• Open up! Business promotion on equal terms, 2015-2020

Many thanks to fellow womenabler Gunilla Thorstensson for sharing these reports with us. Unfortunately, business promotion “on equal terms” (meaning “one size fits all”) will likely not stand women entrepreneurs in Sweden in good stead going forward. As they say in Sweden, nära skjuter ingen hare!

Perhaps this will spark advocacy and action among women’s business groups there. From adversity can come increased strength and sisterhood.