BID Romania commits €20 million to the Three Seas Initiative Innovation Fund, supporting business growth in the region and in Romania
Fund reaches €100 million milestone, with contributions from five national promotional banks: BID (Romania), BGK (Poland), NRI (Czechia), MFB (Hungary), and HBOR (Croatia)
EIF to match national contributions, aiming to mobilise at least €1 billion for private equity, venture capital, and private credit investments

The Romanian Investment and Development Bank (BID) has joined the Three Seas Initiative (3SI) Innovation Fund with a €20 million commitment, becoming the fifth national promotional institution to back the EIF-led instrument. The fund is designed to catalyse investment in growth-stage companies across Central and Eastern Europe, spanning sectors from advanced technology to traditional industries.

With Romanian BID’s contribution, the fund now totals €100 million in national commitments. The European Investment Fund (EIF), part of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group, plans to match these contributions, with the broader ambition of mobilising at least €1 billion in capital through private equity, venture capital, and private credit funds.

The 3SI Innovation Fund targets companies operating in the region between the Baltic, Black, and Adriatic seas, aiming to strengthen competitiveness, support innovation, and accelerate the green and digital transitions.

“The 3SI Innovation Fund is a platform for regional development. With BID on board, we are reinforcing a more integrated, innovative Europe.” said EIF Chief Executive Marjut Falkstedt. “BID’s commitment will help unlock new opportunities for Romanian and regional businesses, driving innovation, job creation, and sustainable growth. Together we are deepening the EU internal market and delivering on climate and competitiveness goals.”

“By joining the Three Seas Initiative Innovation Fund through the €20 million commitment of the Romanian Investment and Development Bank, our country reconfirms its strategic role in Central and Eastern Europe,” said Alexandru Nazare, Romania’s Minister of Finance. “This decision reflects the Romanian Government’s priority to support innovation, infrastructure and economic convergence across the region. By joining this EIF-led partnership, we are channeling capital to high-growth Romanian and regional companies, thereby accelerating the green and digital transitions. BID’s participation strengthens Romania’s position as a reliable partner within the European Union and the Three Seas Initiative, aligning with our collective ambition to mobilize at least €1 billion to bolster the region's competitiveness and foster sustainable growth,” Minister Nazare added.

“Joining the Three Seas Initiative reflects BID’s strategic commitment to fostering innovation and scaling Romanian enterprises.” said Dan Sandu, BID Romania General Manager. “This partnership with EIF and promotional banks in the region will channel capital to high-potential companies, strengthen cross-border collaboration, and position Romania as a key player in the region’s economic transformation.”

Background information

About the 3SI Innovation Fund

The 3SI Innovation Fund targets the participation of up to nine countries in the region – Romania, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland included – and national commitments of €180 million for investments in private equity, venture capital and private credit funds. The overall goal is to mobilise at least €1 billion of new financing and bolster business growth in Central and Eastern Europe, where such funding has been relatively scarce and where meeting market demand is important for sustainable development and maintaining global competitiveness.

About the European Investment Fund (EIF)

EIF is part of the European Investment Bank Group (EIB) Group. Its central mission is to support Europe’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by helping them access finance. In Romania, the EIF has made available 6.4 billion Euros of financing which is expected to catalyse at least 15 billion Euros of financing for the country. Starting with JEREMIE, the EIF has managed 9 European funds financial instruments with a total allocation of 2 billion Euros.

About BID

BID is the only development bank that is 100% owned by the Romanian state, through the Ministry of Finance. Created at the end of 2023 under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, BID aims to actively contribute to a sustainable and prosperous national economic environment.

BID’s mission is to support economic and social development, economic competitiveness, innovation, sustainable economic growth and the achievement of climate neutrality, with the aim of remedying dysfunctions in the financial market.

Press contact

Daniel Kozak, d.kozak@ext.eib.org, +352 4379 70905

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