Enabling healthy competitiveness of European businesses throughout Europe is key to fostering a healthy entrepreneurial ecosystem. SMEs that are perceived as high risk lack sufficient financing options, even when they may have strong potential.
The product is targeted at enhancing access to debt financing to SMEs, where such debt financing falls into one of the following high risk categories:
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Higher Risk Category 1: for those SMEs which typically are excluded from the financial (sub-) intermediary's financial offerings
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Higher Risk Category 2: for the most risky debt financing in the financial (sub-) intermediary’s SME loan book
The product is funded by the EU's flagship initiative InvestEU, and has also been further supported by InvestEU Member State Compartment contributions from Greece, Bulgaria, Spain and Portugal.
Mandator
MS-Compartment
The following summary is only indicative. For full information please refer to the Call documents below.
Product details
Compare with other guaranteesApplication deadline
Country or region
Focus
The product is targeted at enhancing access to debt financing to SMEs, where such debt financing falls into one of the high-risk categories. Thematic focus: competitive start-ups, previously excluded categories, high credit risk, insufficient collateral, solvency support.
Objective
The SME Competitiveness Guarantee is designed to enhance the competitiveness of SMEs by improving their access to finance, particularly to those considered high-risk or lacking sufficient collateral.
Guarantee terms
Benefits for recipients
Type of instruments
Max (counter-)guarantee rate
Max cap rate
Guarantee fee
Consistency with state aid
YesLending features
Type of financial intermediary
Target final recipients
Maximum debt principal amount
€7.5m iDebt financing maturity range
Growth stage
How to apply
The EIF selects financial intermediaries based on a call for expression of interest and a standard selection process including due diligence. Read the call documents below and apply by:
30 June 2027
The EIF may determine that the deadline will end on an earlier date depending, inter alia, on the availability of the budgetary resources. Any change in the deadline will be announced officially on this web page.