An Indian entrepreneur named Abhijith Nag Balasubhramanya posted on LinkedIn about his experience of establishing a company, and selling it due to xenophobia and all the racial prejudices that were advanced against him.
Abhijith Nag Balasubhramanya, founder and CEO of Hydro Space Sweden AB, recently shared a post on LinkedIn, revealing the unspoken side of living and working in Sweden, one of the most developed European countries. He said the Sweden's startup friendly image is a "facade".
He stated he was forced to sell his well-functioning company and leave the country immediately. Xenophobia is what he cited as the reason for taking such a hard decision. He said he made the decision due to his circumstances, which no longer supported his ambitions, rather made it hard for him to sustain in a country which treated him like an outsider.
His company was a sustainable agri-tech company that produced microgreens and even generated local jobs. His business was praised and received good reviews for what it did, but he was a victim of Xenophobia, himself.
He confessed to ongoing problems with Sweden's immigration system, which pulled him back, the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) mishandled his residency and work permit case, with no transparency, asking for documents repeatedly making it difficult for him to live a safe live.
He suffered mentally and expressed his frustration in a LinkedIN post, "Today, I am officially stepping down as Founder and CEO of Hydro Space Sweden AB. I have sold the company as I am being forced to leave the country by the end of this month. This isn't an exit by choice. It is an eviction by an incompetent and increasingly hostile state apparatus. While our first harvest was being celebrated at ICA Kvantum and welcomed by the people of Skellefteå, Migrationsverket was busy dismantling my life. My experience with the Swedish Migration Agency wasn't just a bureaucratic hurdle; it was a masterclass in systemic dysfunction and unprofessionalism. To potential investors and international founders: Consider this a final warning. "
He said, "The reality of the Swedish "startup-friendly" image is a facade. Behind it lies a Migration Agency characterized by: Gross Incompetence: I was handled by case officers with zero business acumen, incapable of understanding the financial structures or operational realities of a scaling startup.
Procedural Cowardice: My officer ignored repeated emails and explicitly refused to provide guidance on required documentation—only to mock my situation when the decision was finalized.
A "Moving Goalpost" Strategy: The agency cited one reason for rejection in preliminary correspondence, only to switch to an entirely different, contradictory reason in the final decree. This isn't oversight; it’s bad faith. Systemic Hostility: The current political climate has empowered a culture within these offices that treats international talent with open contempt rather than as a value-add to the economy. I built a fully operational company within 6 months that provided local jobs and fresh produce that aids towards making the North of Sweden food secure. In return, I was met with a lack of transparency and a total absence of human decency from Migrationsverket."
"I do not have the energy—or the desire—to spend my capital fighting a legal battle against a system that is fundamentally broken and seemingly xenophobic. Instead, I have decided to take a break and move back to my home country to work on my mental health, which was destroyed by the Swedish migration agency. The Swedish migration agency might have destroyed my life and my dream company but my entrepreneurial passion towards sustainability will never fade. I will come back strong and use my expertise at a place it is valued. To the incompetent and arrogant case officer who took pride in destroying my livelihood: You haven't just failed me; you are failing Sweden’s future to be food secure. To my customers in Skellefteå and the partners who supported us: thank you. I am proud of what we grew, even if I wasn't allowed to stay to see it flourish." He concluded.