Support for SMEs > Access to finance
| Project / Programme | Company type | Finance type | Type of instruments | Amount | Investment Focus | Short description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regional programmes | ||||||
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European Fund for South East Europe (EFSE)
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Micro, Small, Medium | Loan | EUR 9,697 (Average sub-loan disbursed amount since inception until Q2|2017) | All SMEs |
The fund provides small loans, including in local currency, and assistance to micro (fewer than 10 employees) and small (fewer than 50 employees) enterprises (MSEs), as well as to low-income private households, via local banks. Support is available to MSEs in sectors such as agriculture, industry, trade and services. |
|
|
Women in Business
 |
Small, Medium, Large | Loan | EBRD finance facility of USD 135 million for the region | Women-led businesses |
Under the programme, women-led SMEs can access finance through dedicated credit lines provided to local banks, alongside business advice to help them become more competitive. The programme also offers training, mentoring and other support to enable women entrepreneurs to share experiences and learn from each other as peers. |
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| Bilateral programmes | ||||||
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Support to SME development in Armenia (SMEDA)
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Small, Medium | Grants | Up to EUR 50,000 | All SMEs |
The SMEDA project provides alternative funding mechanisms for innovative start-ups and existing companies, through two innovation grant schemes for SMEs – Innovation Matching Grants (IMG) and its Science and Technology Entrepreneurship programme (STEP), with grants available to 28 start-ups with a high tech and innovation background. |
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