Sweden’s EQT (EQTAB.ST) plans to more than double its European investments to €250 billion ($292 billion) over the next five years — but CEO Per Franzén is warning that Europe must act fast to stay competitive with the U.S.
In an open letter, Franzén urged policymakers to remove barriers that prevent tech startups from scaling, such as restrictive cross-border ownership rules, and called for a pan-European stock market to make listings more attractive.
“Building a thriving tech industry in Europe has become an urgent geopolitical and strategic requirement,” Franzén wrote.
EQT has invested €120 billion in Europe over the past five years and plans a similar amount in the U.S., where the firm is expanding aggressively. Franzén cited MIT research showing the U.S. created 241 companies valued above $10 billion in the past 50 years, compared to only 14 in Europe, calling it “a serious warning for the continent’s long-term prosperity.”
He emphasized the need for regulatory simplification, better access to early-stage capital, and coordinated pro-growth reforms across the EU. National governments, he said, should “learn from each other” — highlighting Sweden’s success in stimulating private investment.
“To make scaling in Europe the rule, not the exception, we need coordination, courage, and commitment — and we need it now,” Franzén said.