This paper investigates the extent to which the expected outcomes from a public support programme match the real outcomes and whether the support given matches the needs of the receivers. The findings are drawn from a survey of 154 ventures supported by a major Swedish entrepreneurship policy programme. The results show that public support increases motivation and has a positive effect on product development processes. One major implication is that there is a mismatch between product development and market development. This should therefore be an important consideration for the designers of all types of public support programmes.
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