EIB and finance&invest.brussels Partner to Deliver €140 Million in SME and Mid-Cap Financing for the Brussels Region

EIB and finance&invest.brussels Partner to Deliver €140 Million in SME and Mid-Cap Financing for the Brussels Region

(IN BRIEF) The European Investment Bank has signed a €50 million loan agreement with finance&invest.brussels to support business growth and job creation in the Brussels Capital Region. The funding will enable the regional investment institution to provide up to €140 million in favourable financing to SMEs and Mid-Caps, offering improved borrowing terms and reduced collateral requirements. The support targets a diverse range of sectors, including fintech, legal tech, creative industries, urban farming and sustainable food, with all lending decisions made by finance&invest.brussels. EIB Vice-President Robert de Groot said the partnership will help the region’s dynamic SME ecosystem access essential capital, while CEO Pierre Hermant emphasised the importance of supporting entrepreneurs during rapidly evolving economic conditions. The agreement builds on earlier collaborations with the European Investment Fund, which provided guarantees for €54 million and €78 million in SME and Mid-Cap financing in 2021 and 2023.

(PRESS RELEASE) LUXEMBOURG, 21-Nov-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed a €50 million loan agreement with finance&invest.brussels, the regional public investment institution for the Brussels Capital Region, in a move designed to boost local economic growth by expanding access to finance for SMEs and Mid-Caps. The new EIB support package will enable finance&invest.brussels to mobilise up to €140 million in fresh lending under favourable and more flexible conditions for businesses operating across the region.

Through this agreement, entrepreneurs in Brussels will benefit from improved access to capital, reduced collateral requirements and more competitive borrowing terms — all of which aim to stimulate investment, support business expansion and create new employment opportunities. The initiative directly contributes to strengthening the resilience and competitiveness of Brussels’ diverse economic ecosystem.

Robert de Groot, EIB Vice-President, highlighted the importance of the region’s entrepreneurial landscape:
“The Brussels Capital Region has an incredibly diverse, innovative and dynamic community of small and medium-sized businesses. These enterprises are essential contributors to economic growth both locally and nationally. By joining forces with finance&invest.brussels, we are ensuring that businesses in the region have the financing they need to thrive, innovate and generate opportunities that benefit workers and communities.”

The agreement allows finance&invest.brussels to deploy funds to SMEs and Mid-Caps across a wide range of sectors. Targeted industries include fintech and legal tech, the creative economy, urban agriculture, sustainable food production, and other sectors aligned with the region’s economic development priorities. All final lending decisions will be made independently by finance&invest.brussels.

Pierre Hermant, CEO of finance&invest.brussels, emphasised the strategic impact of the new partnership:
“This collaboration with the EIB reinforces our commitment to delivering practical and sustainable support to SMEs in the Brussels Capital Region. In an environment where economic conditions are constantly shifting, it is essential that we help entrepreneurs drive forward their growth and transition projects. By improving access to financing, we are strengthening Brussels’ dynamism and ensuring it remains an innovative and globally connected economic hub.”

This latest operation builds on finance&invest.brussels’ previous collaborations with the European Investment Fund, also part of the EIB Group. Through guarantee agreements signed in 2021 and 2023, financing support totalling €54 million and €78 million was made available to local SMEs and Mid-Caps — underlining a consistent and long-standing commitment to regional economic development.

Background information  

The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. The EIB finances investments in eight core priorities that support EU policy objectives: climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and the bioeconomy, social infrastructure, a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world and Europe’s capital markets union.

Last year the EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security. High-quality, up-to-date photos of the organisation’s headquarters for media use are available here.

Founded in 1984, finance&invest.brussels is a public limited company that facilitates and completes the financing mix for Brussels-based companies with a clear focus on key sectors that promote sustainable economic development and job creation. The company provides concrete solutions to the financial needs of entrepreneurs, in the form of loans, capital or guarantees, at decisive moments in their journeys. These financing solutions are aimed at start-ups, scale-ups and SMEs as well as very small social entities and cooperatives.

Media contact:
Tim Smit
t.smit@eib.org
+352 4379 – 89076

Press Office
press@eib.org
+352 43791

SOURCE: European Investment Bank