Sting is a non-profit business incubator that provides international recognition for its support of technology companies, offering personalized coaching, financing planning, and a network for entrepreneurs. Its process includes a pre-incubator and business accelerator programs, with access to training, capital sources, and resources for job recruitment. Key focus areas are ICT, medical technology, and energy/environmental technology, aiming to help startups scale and achieve global growth.

1. WHERE
IDEAS
GOGLOBAL
ENGLISHVERSION

2. Business development
STING’s business development support has
received international recognition on several
occasions. Our handpicked business coaches
have solid experience in building up and lead-
ing international technology companies and
are specialised within different technical fields.
Companies admitted to the incubator are as-
signed a personal business coach, who pro-
vides support at least a half day per week. Our
business coaches are also a close-knit team,
and they continually work to develop STING’s
unique ”toolkit” and to offer everything from
specialist sales training courses to advanced
assistance in recruiting key personnel.
Financing
We help entrepreneurs develop a financing plan
and find the best possible financing solutions.
We feel it is important in the initial phase to look
for financing that does not dilute the founder’s
ownership, such as through customer financ-
ing and ”soft” money. We have also created the
STING Business Angels network and the ven-
ture capital fund STING Capital. Naturally, we
STING – for faster growth
STING’s business incubator helps entrepreneurs to build international growth
companies faster. Through business development, financing and network support,
we aim to create the conditions necessary to allow start-ups to conquer the world.
The incubator process consists of two
parts. From day one in the incubator,
the goal is future global expansion.
The Business Lab pre-incubator is for
individuals that have a product idea or a
research finding in a very early stage that
they want to develop and test. They do
not yet need to have started a company
to develop their business idea. To be
accepted into the Business Accelerator
incubator, the team is expected to have
completed the start phase and be ready
to begin market activities. Here, it is
expected that the entrepreneur will be
100 per cent committed.
STING also offers two practical training
programmes: The Startup entrepreneur
programme lasts four months (primarily in
the evenings) and consists of workshops
within business critical areas. This is of-
fered free of charge. Here participants are
able to test the validity of their technology-
based product idea at a very early stage.
The Go Global Medtech internationali-
sation programme is open to medical
technology companies from throughout
Sweden that want to succeed with their
global expansion. This is offered once a
year and lasts four months.
also make available our network of both Swed-
ish and international investors.
network
Through STING and our business coaches, our
companies get access to our broad national
and international networks. We have also cre-
ated our own recruitment network – STING
Search for Talents – where we offer convenient
and cost-effective help in recruiting key per-
sonnel. Our partnerships within the business,
academic and research communities offer such
advantages as access to technical and com-
mercial verification of business concepts. Other
STING companies also serve as an invaluable
source of inspiration and expertise.
acceptance criteria
New companies are admitted into the business
incubator on a continual basis. STING targets
entrepreneurs and innovators from academia,
research institutes and the business community.
We focus on working with a few, select projects
and companies. For this reason we have an
extensive and thorough selection process. With
this in mind, external stakeholders, investors and
potential customers see admission as a STING
company as a stamp of quality and reliability.
A STING company’s business idea should be
based on an innovative technology, be clearly
useful to customers, be unique and scalable,
and have a large international market potential.
We work primarily with ideas within ICT, Internet/
media, medical technology and energy/environ-
mental technology. Since the team is crucial for
a company’s success, we place great importance
on the willingness to build a team with star-power.
oFFices
STING is based in Kista Science City – in the
middle of one of the world’s premier growth
regions. Our Kista incubator is in Growhouse,
which is home to many growth companies. We
also offer offices at KTH Vallhallavägen in Stock-
holm and at Karolinska Institutet Science Park
in Flemingsberg. This has been made possible
through strategic agreements with KTH and
Karolinska Institutet. Companies admitted to our
Business Lab pre-incubator are offered offices at
no charge for six months. During the next phase,
known as the Business Accelerator, companies
pay reduced rent for up to two years.
Read more: www.stockholminnovation.com
sting’s programmes

3. The core of our offer is the highly qualified business support provided to the company by its
personal business coach. Our support can total over 450 hours during the incubation period.
It is important, however, to point out that it is the team’s responsibility to produce and deliver.
Together with the business coach, a milestone
plan is established with the most important
activities that are to be implemented and the
plan is revised on a regular basis. The busi-
ness coach encourages and supports the team
in achieving the goals on time and achieving
breakthroughs. The coaching is provided dur-
ing weekly meetings, but also on an ad hoc
basis when the business coach takes part in
meetings with, for example, potential investors,
customers, suppliers and key recruits.
The team receives support and other help
from the business coach in developing its
business plan, product concepts, business
model, financing plan and sales strategy. This
is primarily done through regular coaching, but
also through some of the development modules
described below, what we like to call ”STING’s
toolkit”. Different business coaches are special-
ists for different modules, which means com-
panies work with many members of our team
during the incubation period.
sting’s toolkit
Since 2002 we have built up a bank of knowl-
edge, experience and materials within different
areas that are critical for newly started technol-
ogy companies. To avoid reinventing the wheel
each time a company is on the verge of enter-
ing a new phase of its development, we have
created a toolkit consisting of important services
and development modules. The order in which
the modules are implemented depends on each
company’s unique situation and not all modules
are necessarily appropriate for every company.
Base Camp – This module helps everyone in
the company to focus on selling from day one.
It provides training to focus on an identified and
well-defined customer who has the greatest
need for the product.
Are we in the same boat? – Helps the team at
an early stage to develop common goals for the
company and agree on a shareholders’ agree-
ment.
The Journey – Provides a total review of the
company’s business development strategy.
Financing plan/strategy – Establishes a
budget, financing strategy and plan that mini-
mises ownership dilution for the founders while
ensuring capital for the first 12 to 24 months.
Radically increases the potential for bringing in
capital but we can never guarantee that capital
will be found.
How to convince investors – Provides informa-
tion and practical training in presenting yourself
and company in a winning manner that inspires
confidence with all types of investors and ven-
ture capitalists.
Protect your business – Reviews possible ways
of protecting the business, including patents
and trademarks, and put together a strategy
for this.
Sales development/training – Provides insight
and knowledge of all parts of the sales process
and skills for generating more sales income for
the company.
STING Brand Academy – Offers such help as
defining target groups and main message and
developing a graphic profile. We also offer help
with media contacts and advantageous partner-
ship agreements.
Internationalisation strategy – Helps with de-
veloping an effective internationalisation plan.
The module concludes with a company presen-
tation for international investors and experts.
Achieving a breakthrough

4. STING’s in-house
financing options
In order to meet the capital needs of new
technology companies in the early stages of
their development, STING has developed its
own sources of financing. However, we would
like to emphasize that this should be seen as
merely a possibility and that STING’s incuba-
tor companies do not automatically receive
financing.
sting capital
The fund offers financing at very early stages
to companies that have an innovative and
unique technical product idea with potential
for becoming an international growth compa-
ny. An external investment committee makes
investment decisions. STING Capital invests
up to SEK 4 million per company.
www.stingcapital.com
sting Business angels
The STING Business Angels (SBA) network
consists of about 30 specially selected individ-
uals, the majority of whom have a background
as successful technology entrepreneurs. SBA
invests primarily in STING companies. In ad-
dition to capital, the members are expected to
also contribute their industrial expertise to the
company.
STING Search
for Talents
STING’s ambition is to help companies build
winning teams. As a STING company, you
gain access to our own recruitment service,
STING Search for Talents. The service pro-
vides support throughout the recruitment
process. We offer access to a web-based
recruitment system, help develop job descrip-
tions and adverts, provide channels for finding
candidates and support companies in the
selection process through to the final decision.
www.stockholminnovation.com/talents
Facts about STING
Organisational form:
Non-profit company owned by the
Electrum Foundation
Founded:
In 2002 by CEO Pär Hedberg
Time in the business incubator:
The Business Lab pre-incubator 6 months,
the Business Accelerator incubator 12-18 months
Number evaluated projects/companies:
873 since start
Accepted projects/companies:
69 since start (of which 5 have been shut down)
STING compaNIeS’ reSulTS 2002-2009
Total corporate value:
SEK 1.624 million
Accumulated public capital
SEK 191 million
Accumulated private capital
SEK 627 million
Number of employees 2009:
376
Sales 2009:
SEK 200 million
STING’S owN fINaNcING opTIoNS
The venture capital fund STING Capital:
Normally invests a maximum of SEK 4 million (EUR
400’) /company and only in STING companies. Has
invested SEK 46.1 million in 20 portfolio companies
(091231).
STING Business Angels:
About 30 business angels with entrepreneurial back-
grounds. Have invested about SEK 45 million in 15
STING companies and STING Capital. (091231).
“STING’s ambition
is to help companies
build winning teams.”

5. “STING gave us an excellent start and
has been incredibly flexible in support-
ing us when the need was greatest.
STING also has an interesting and
wide-ranging network that we have
gained great benefit from. The invest-
ment we received from STING Capital
was also very important for allowing
us to move forward with development
of our mobile application tool and we
have now received international ven-
ture capital.”
Alex Jonsson, MoSync AB
“During our time in the incubator, we went from four
founders, who worked when they were off from their regu-
lar jobs, to 15 employees and a partnership agreement with
RWE Innogy, Germany’s largest energy producer. We have
won several awards and received lots of PR. This would
not have occurred without STING. STING has served as a
catalyst, helping us finding a number of skilled employees,
actively contributing to creating dialogues with customers
and supporting us in the critical area of financing.”
Erik Odén, Mantex AB
“During our STING time, the company made
an incredible journey. We secured SEK 5
million in venture capital, grew from 3 to 11
employees and went from three customers
in Sweden to 16 in five countries. Sting has
been very valuable for developing our sales
process. We also gained important insight on
how the financing system works and what
financing alternatives were available.”
Sorosh Tavakoli, Videoplaza AB
“In the beginning we were
faced with all the challenges a
startup can have – everything
from recruiting and financing to
technical development. STING’s
business coaches played a very
important role in our develop-
ment by both inspiring us and
serving as a sounding board
throughout our journey. Today
we have over 5.000 customers
in 70 countries.”
Stina Ehrensvärd, Yubico AB

6. The STING team
The founder and CEO Pär Hedberg, who was previously CEO for a number of technology companies with 50-300
employees, founded STING in 2002. Since then, Pär has carefully hand-picked employees to ensure that all
business coaches have solid experience from building up and leading international technology companies and
that they have expertise within different technical fields. All of us at STING agree that we have the world’s best job
– having the privilege of helping the most talented and committed innovators and entrepreneurs in building new
export companies.
STING’s vision is to support the building of new global growth companies by attracting the best innovators and entrepreneurs, offering them
world-class business development support and networks. The STING business incubator is a non-profit company, owned by the Electrum
Foundation – a collaboration between the business and research communities and the City of Stockholm. Our main partners are Innovations-
bron, Karolinska Institutet and KTH.
Growhouse, Isafjordsgatan 39 B, SE-164 40 Kista, Sweden • Phone: +46 (0)8-20 28 40 www.stockholminnovation.com
MAIN PARTNERS
RESOURCE PARTNERS
INDUSTRY PARTNERS
RESEARCH PARTNERS
ENTREPRENUERIAL PARTNERS
LOCATION PARTNER
partners
MARTIN GEMVIK
Investment
Manager and
Partner STING
Capital
JESSICA STARK
Head of
Marketing
OLOF BERGLUND
Business Coach
Medtech
ANGELA G. STRÖMBERG
Assistent
MAGNUS REHN
Business Coach
Cleantech
IVAR STRÖMBERG
Business Coach ICT
and Internet/Media
PÄR HEDBERG
CEO and
Business
Coach ICT
RAOUL STUBBE
Business Coach
ICT
MARIA NILSSON
STING Search for
Talents and STING
Business Angels
ULF BRANDELS
Business Coach
Internet/Media