Tech startup CEO Abhijith Nag Balasubramanya, founder of Hydro Space Sweden AB, announced that he is stepping down and leaving Sweden. Balasubramanya made the announcement in a long and scathing LinkedIn post citing what he called a ‘Xenophobia and hostile’ immigration system. He said that he was forced to sell his agri-tech startup which is locally celebrated for its microgreens harvest after the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) denied his residency, despite the company’s rapid growth and local impact.“This isn’t an exit by choice. It is an eviction by an incompetent and increasingly hostile state apparatus,” he wrote, adding that the agency’s handling of his case was marked by “gross incompetence,” “procedural cowardice,” and “systemic hostility.”Balasubramanya also accused the officers of ignoring his emails, refusing guidance, and shifting reasons for rejection, calling the experience a “masterclass in dysfunction.” His startup Hydro Space Sweden AB gained a lot of traction in Skellefteå, with its produce welcomed by local retailers like ICA Kvantum. Yet, Balasubramanya said the agency’s actions undermined not only his livelihood but Sweden’s food security ambitions.
Read Abhijith Nag Balasubramanya’s complete LinkedIn post here
Sweden: Where Innovation Goes to Die in BureaucracyToday, 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. 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 that 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. Wishing the new owners great success!
