Skip to content

Investment Funds from Scandinavia: forward-thinking, eco-friendly, and financially responsible

European business sector renowned for innovation, sustainability, and stability; stock markets acknowledge this distinction. Here's a guide for investors wishing to invest in the Nordic region, penned by Christoph Platt, Euro am Sonntag.

Scandinavian Investment Ventures: pioneering, eco-friendly, and reliable solutions
Scandinavian Investment Ventures: pioneering, eco-friendly, and reliable solutions

Investment Funds from Scandinavia: forward-thinking, eco-friendly, and financially responsible

Top Investment Funds and Strategies for Scandinavian Stock Markets

In the dynamic world of finance, Scandinavian stock markets continue to offer promising opportunities for investors. Here are some of the top-performing funds and strategies as of mid-2025:

Elementa Long/Short Equity Fund (Sweden)

Lead by Marcus Wahlberg, this hedge fund employs a research-intensive, value-GARP (Growth at a Reasonable Price) strategy. Focusing on Nordic small and micro-cap companies with strong growth potential, scalable business models, robust cash flow, and capable management, the fund combines systematic screening with deep fundamental analysis, seeking companies trading at attractive valuations relative to long-term prospects.

Protean Small Cap Fund (Scandinavia)

Since its launch in mid-2023, this fund has gained 56.3%, outperforming the Carnegie Nordic Small Cap Index by 31.9 percentage points. With a focus on active small-cap equity and a low volatility focus, Protean Small Cap Fund has returned 2.4% in July 2025 alone. Protean also offers a hedge fund (Protean Select) targeting steady reasonable returns with low volatility and a Scandinavian focused fund (Protean Aktiesparfond Norden) that merges low passive fund fees with active management upside, which has delivered 11.7% return since inception.

Nordic Capital

A prominent private equity player, Nordic Capital manages €31 billion with a specialization in sectors such as healthcare, technology, and financial services, integrating ESG principles in their investment approach.

Nordic Dividend Stocks

Companies like Neste (oil and gas, Finland), Per Aarsleff Holding (engineering and construction, Denmark), and Betsson (gambling, Sweden) exemplify strong dividend yields and balance sheets in the Nordic Dividend Yield Focus Index.

Summary of Specialization and Strategies

| Fund/Entity | Specialization | Investment Strategy | |-----------------------|-----------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------| | Elementa | Nordic small/micro-cap stocks | Research intensive, value-GARP, long/short equity | | Protean Small Cap | Scandinavian small cap stocks | Active small-cap equity with low volatility focus | | Protean Select (hedge)| Scandinavian equities | Hedge fund aiming for reasonable returns and managing drawdown | | Protean Aktiesparfond Norden | Nordic equities | Combination of passive fee structure with active stock picking | | Nordic Capital | Healthcare, tech, financials | Private equity with ESG integration, sector-focused | | Nordic Dividend Stocks| Various Nordic sectors (e.g., oil, engineering, gambling) | Dividend yield focus on steady income and growth |

These funds and approaches illustrate a blend of active management emphasizing growth at reasonable prices, dividend income, ESG considerations, and tactical exposure to high-potential Nordic companies and sectors.

Notable Investment Funds

  • The Xtrackers MSCI Nordic provides affordable access to Nordic stocks, with the sectors of industry and finance having the highest weight, each at slightly over 20%.
  • Johan Stein, the fund manager for the Parvest Equity Nordic Small Cap, sees good opportunities in the medical technology, engineering, and computer games industries. However, specific details about the fund's investment strategy or available titles were not provided. As of mid-2025, the Parvest Equity Nordic Small Cap has gained 80% over the past five years, making it the most successful fund for the region.
  • Sweden dominates with a 40% share among countries in the Xtrackers MSCI Nordic, and around 800 titles from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland are available for the SEB Sustainability Nordic Fund. Corporate responsibility considerations play a significant role in stock selection for this fund, but no specific details about its location or investment strategy were given. Tommi Saukkoriipi is the fund manager for the SEB Sustainability Nordic Fund.
  • The MSCI Nordic Countries Index includes the 71 largest companies in the region. No information about investor advantages or disadvantages in relation to the SEB Sustainability Nordic Fund was provided.

These funds and strategies offer a diverse range of opportunities for investors seeking to capitalize on the growth potential of the Scandinavian stock markets.

Read also:

Latest