The Nordic Scalers pilot have been evaluated by 4Front and The Evidence Network. The actors were selected through an open call for tenders. The evaluation focuses on the two pilot years of operation of Nordic Scalers program (2017–2019). The main purpose was to evaluate the relevance, appropriateness and Nordic added value of the program. Furthermore, the goal was to identify key lessons learnt and recommendations for the future development of the program.
Content of the Nordic Scalers evaluation
What do we know on scale-ups and scale-up support programs?
This chapter briefly describes the main findings from the literature review, conducted by The Evidence Network. The full review is published as a separate appendix to the main report and can be found here.
The Nordic Scalers program
The purpose of the Nordic Scalers program is to help the ‘best-of-the-best’ Nordic companies in the scale-up phase to prepare and accelerate their next stages of growth through access to competence building. The main long-term goals of the program are:
- Test and pilot new tools and services at the Nordic level to improve scale-up companies' access to relevant skills, competences, networks and funding opportunities
- Raise awareness about the importance of scale-ups in the Nordic region
- Contribute to a scale-up community building at the Nordic level
- Contribute to branding Nordics globally as a leading scale-up hub
- Contribute to shared learning among key stakeholders, both public and private
Evaluation findings
This chapter describes the main findings of the evaluation, structured into three sub-sections:
(1) the program relevance; (2) program content and implementation; and (3) impact on companies and broader ecosystem.
Conclusion and recommendations
The last chapter focuses on the added value for participating companies, the challenges of the business model, recruitment and recommendations.
The evaluation is carried out by 4Front.
