Swimming with Allocators · 2026-05-13 · 55 min
This week on Swimming with Allocators, Erik Balck Sørensen joins Earnest and Alexa to share his journey from serial founder in an almost non-existent Danish startup scene to CIO of Denmark’s Export and Investment Fund, a sovereign platform backing innovation at scale. Erik explains how Denmark went from having no venture funds or ecosystem infrastructure to becoming a global player in biotech, green tech, and deep tech, and why “giving back” and tight founder communities were crucial to that evolution. He breaks down what it really means to run a sovereign wealth fund with a dual mandate, balancing financial returns for taxpayers with societal impact, and how political momentum, past missteps, and investment discipline shape their strategy. Erik also details Denmark’s 2030 plan: moving faster, professionalizing as an LP and direct investor, and doubling or tripling down on stronghold verticals like life sciences, selected green technologies, quantum computing, and European growth-stage capital.
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