EIB Paves the Way for Croatia’s Fintech Future with Strategic Advisory Partnerships

EIB Paves the Way for Croatia’s Fintech Future with Strategic Advisory Partnerships

(IN BRIEF) The European Investment Bank (EIB) is set to support Croatia’s efforts to strengthen its capital markets and foster innovation through a new advisory agreement with the Finance Ministry aimed at creating a “Fintech Hub.” This strategic initiative will align Croatia’s fintech practices with EU regulations and global trends, positioning the country as a regional leader in financial technologies. In parallel, the EIB will advise HAMAG-BICRO to enhance the investment readiness of SMEs and startups through tailored training and support programmes funded by the InvestEU Advisory Hub programme. The bank plans to map Croatia’s fintech landscape, benchmark it against top European hubs, and recommend improvements to legal and operational frameworks. Additionally, a study will be conducted to identify opportunities for deepening capital markets in Croatia, supporting the “Strategy on Capital Market Development 2025-2030” and paving the way for Croatia to become a regional hub for initial public offerings. Leaders from both the EIB and Croatia’s government emphasize that these partnerships will boost economic growth, enhance competitiveness, and improve access to capital for emerging businesses.

(PRESS RELEASE) LUXEMBOURG, 27-Mar-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The European Investment Bank (EIB), the lending arm of the European Union, has announced a new initiative to help Croatia deepen its capital markets in line with the European Union’s Capital Markets Union (CMU) objectives. Through an advisory agreement with Croatia’s Ministry of Finance, the EIB will provide expert policy guidance to foster the creation of a “Fintech Hub” that will serve as a catalyst for innovation in financial technologies. This initiative aims to position Croatia as a regional leader in fintech by aligning local practices with evolving EU regulations and global market trends.

In a parallel effort, the EIB is set to support Croatia’s innovation ecosystem by advising the Croatian Agency for SMEs, Innovation and Investments (HAMAG-BICRO). The bank will help SMEs and startups enhance their investment readiness and secure early-stage financing, an endeavor funded by the InvestEU Advisory Hub programme. This dual approach is designed to boost the country’s capital market infrastructure while ensuring that businesses have the tools and expertise they need to thrive in a competitive digital economy.

EIB Vice-President Teresa Czerwińska stated, “With the rapid evolution of technology and the growing importance of deep capital markets, Croatia has a unique opportunity to position itself as a regional leader in the innovation ecosystem. Through these two partnerships, we are committed to supporting the country’s economic growth and competitiveness.” Under the accord with the Finance Ministry, the EIB will conduct a thorough mapping of the current fintech landscape in Croatia, benchmark it against leading European hubs, and offer recommendations to address legal and operational challenges. These measures are expected to accelerate the adoption of advanced financial technologies and strengthen Croatia’s role in the European fintech arena.

Furthermore, the EIB will undertake a comprehensive study to identify opportunities for deepening Croatia’s capital markets. This study will support the country’s “Strategy on Capital Market Development 2025-2030” by comparing Croatia with both innovative small markets and well-established large markets, ultimately aiming to establish the nation as a regional hub for initial public offerings in Central and Eastern Europe.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Marko Primorac added, “Our collaboration with the European Investment Bank will drive forward our efforts to enhance the fintech industry and capital market, thereby improving access to capital for fintech entrepreneurs, startups, and the wider business community. This partnership is a major step in positioning Croatia as a regional fintech hub and strengthening our capital market, contributing significantly to our long-term economic growth.”

In addition to these measures, the EIB’s partnership with HAMAG-BICRO will bolster the country’s innovation ecosystem through specialized training programmes for SMEs and startups. These programmes will cover key areas such as business strategy, financial planning, and investor engagement, and will also facilitate cross-border mentorship and corporate partnership initiatives. Vjeran Vrbanec, President of the HAMAG-BICRO Management Board, commented, “The increasingly complex market demands require our entrepreneurs to be exceptionally well-prepared in terms of project planning and investment strategy. This collaboration with the EIB will significantly enhance the quality of support we can offer, ultimately improving the competitiveness and sustainability of our companies as they apply for European Union funding.”

EIB

The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, high-impact investments outside the European Union, and the capital markets union.

The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.

All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, as pledged in our Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a healthier environment.

Fostering market integration and mobilising investment, the Group supported a record of over €100 billion in new investment for Europe’s energy security in 2024 and mobilised €110 billion in growth capital for startups, scale-ups and European pioneers. Approximately half of the EIB’s financing within the European Union is directed towards cohesion regions, where per capita income is lower than the EU average.

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InvestEU: The InvestEU programme provides the European Union with long-term funding by leveraging substantial private and public funds in support of a sustainable recovery. It also helps to crowd in private investment for the European Union’s strategic priorities such as the European Green Deal and the digital transition. InvestEU brings all EU financial instruments previously available for supporting investments within the European Union together under one roof, making funding for investment projects in Europe simpler, more efficient and more flexible. The programme consists of three components: the InvestEU Fund, the InvestEU Advisory Hub, and the InvestEU Portal. The InvestEU Fund is deployed through implementing partners that will invest in projects using the EU budget guarantee of €26.2 billion. The entire budget guarantee will back the investment projects of the implementing partners, increase their risk-bearing capacity and thus mobilise at least €372 billion in additional investment.

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SOURCE: European Investment Bank