The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the lending arm of the European Union, the mission of which is to foster sustainable development within the EU and abroad. It holds several relevant financing tools for SMEs in start-up and scale-up phases, including a wide range of loans, risk-covering guarantees, and equity-type funding. Financing is either provided directly or via local intermediary financial institutions, most often commercial banks or investment funds. Additionally, the EIB can help by engaging in equity and hybrid debt co-investments with other funds and investment partners. Together with the European Investment Fund (EIF), which specialises in finance for small businesses and mid-caps, the EIB forms the EIB Group.
Among the most used financing instruments are InnoFin and EIB Venture Debt.
