European Investment Bank and Commission Launch Pioneering Gender Finance Lab to Boost Funding for Women Entrepreneurs

European Investment Bank and Commission Launch Pioneering Gender Finance Lab to Boost Funding for Women Entrepreneurs

(IN BRIEF) The European Investment Bank and the European Commission have launched the first-ever Gender Finance Lab for commercial banks under the InvestEU Advisory Hub, aiming to enhance financial access for women-led and women-owned SMEs across Europe. This innovative masterclass programme, which has already attracted 25 European banks, is designed to equip financial institutions with the skills to develop gender-responsive products and share best practices to bridge the gender finance gap. Set to begin in March 2025 with a follow-up session in Autumn 2025, the eLearning-based initiative will feature live webinars and interactive discussions. EIB President Nadia Calviño stressed that investing in women entrepreneurs drives growth and stability in the European economy, aligning with broader efforts toward economic inclusion and sustainable development.

(PRESS RELEASE) LUXEMBOURG, 5-Mar-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The European Investment Bank and the European Commission have unveiled the inaugural “Gender Finance Lab for commercial banks” under the InvestEU Advisory Hub, marking a significant step towards improving financial access for women-led and women-owned SMEs across Europe. This innovative initiative, launched on the sidelines of the EIB Group Forum, brings together 25 European banks committed to a masterclass programme designed to boost funding for female entrepreneurs. With women representing roughly one-third of Europe’s entrepreneurial community yet facing persistent financial hurdles, the programme seeks to equip financial intermediaries—including banks and fund managers—with the skills to design gender-responsive financial products, implement robust data analysis, and share best practices to bridge the gender finance gap.

Developed by the EIB Group with support from the InvestEU Advisory Hub, the eLearning-based Gender-Smart Finance Master Class will commence its first cohort in March 2025, with a follow-up session slated for Autumn 2025. The masterclass will feature live webinars, interactive discussions, and access to a virtual knowledge hub, covering topics such as market potential for women-led SMEs, the design of innovative financial solutions, and global gender finance initiatives like Gender Lens Investing and the 2X Criteria. EIB President Nadia Calviño emphasized that investing in women entrepreneurs not only drives growth and stability across the European economy but also aligns with the broader sustainability agenda. The programme, which is free for participating institutions, is managed by the European Commission and funded by the EU, further cementing the commitment to unlocking a $700 billion global revenue opportunity and advancing economic inclusion.

For further information, please contact genderfinancelab@eib.org.

Background information:

EIB Group

The EIB Group is the financing institution of the European Union owned by its Member States. It supports investment contributing toward EU policy goals, including sustainable growth, social and territorial cohesion, innovation and security. It finances its operations in global capital markets and has been consistently profitable in its operations since its inception. The EIB Group is the pioneer and one of the largest issuers of green bonds, while all of its operations are aligned with the Paris Climate Agreement.

The EIB Group signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 projects in 2024. These commitments are expected to mobilise around €350 billion in investment, supporting 400 000 companies and 5.8 million jobs.

To enhance the positive impact of its activities on gender equality and empower women and girls, the EIB Group adopted a Strategy on Gender Equality and Women’s Economic Empowerment and a Gender Action Plan, with the aim of embedding gender equality and in particular women’s economic empowerment in the EIB’s business model. It covers its lending, blending and advisory work within and outside the European Union. The EIB Group is also committed to driving gender equality in the workplace.

InvestEU

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

Media Contacts:

Anne-Laure Gaffuri
a.gaffuri@eib.org
+352 4379 – 83689

Sabine Parisse
s.parisse@eib.org
+352 4379 – 83340

Press Office
press@eib.org
+352 43791

SOURCE: European Investment Bank