A little more than a year ago, Mario Draghi presented his report ‘The future of European competitiveness’, stating that unless EU Member States make huge investments and bold reforms, the European competitiveness will be at risk. Global competition, especially from the US and China, is intensifying at a dizzying pace, and the EU must act now to secure the Union’s future competitiveness and common security.
This report presents a comprehensive, data-driven assessment of Sweden’s competitive standing in 48 Key Strategic Technologies that are crucial for its future prosperity, economic resilience, and national security. The analysis is based on three major datasets covering 2010–25: scientific publications, patent documents, and investment data. The findings reveal a mixed landscape of established leadership, critical vulnerabilities, and untapped potential, demanding strategic action to secure Sweden’s place in an intensifying global technology race.
This report was commissioned and published by The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA) as part of the research project ‘Mapping Sweden’s Competitiveness and Investment Priorities in Key Strategic Technologies,’ with research and analysis conducted by CEPS. The project aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of Sweden’s strategic positioning in key technology sectors and identify priority areas for future investment and policy development. This research examines Sweden’s competitive strengths, emerging challenges and opportunities within the evolving global technology landscape. The findings, conclusions and recommendations presented reflect the CEPS team’s independent research and expert assessment.
