The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (Swedish: Tillväxtverket) is a Swedish government agency organized under the Ministry of Enterprise, tasked to promote entrepreneurship and regional growth, and to implement structural funds programmes.[1] The agency has broad mission. Some efforts are targeted directly to a specific company or prospective business; other times the aim is to influence and develop the business environment, often it's both.[2] The agency has a mandate to manage and distribute funds from the European Social Fund and the European Regional Development Fund, to support projects that promote growth and jobs.[3]
The agency was established in 2009, when the Swedish Business Development Agency (Swedish: Verket för näringslivsutveckling, p.k.a. Nutek) and the Swedish National Rural Development Agency (Swedish: Glesbygdsverket) closed. Some work previously managed by the Swedish Consumer Agency (Swedish: Konsumentverket) was also transferred to the new agency.[4]
The agency has about 370 employees, nine local offices and headquarters in Stockholm. It is led by Director-General Gunilla Nordlöf.