EIB Loan for Women Entrepreneurship & Social Impact

The purpose of the financing is to support investment projects and/or to provide liquidity for businesses.

The EIB Loan for Women Entrepreneurship & Social Impact is a financing instrument that offers additional incentives to businesses meeting the Jobs for Youth Initiative criteria (employment of young people up to 29 years old) and/or the Gender Equality and Women’s Economic Empowerment criteria (active participation of women with at least 40% representation in management and/or 51% ownership in the shareholding structure).

Working Capital to finance expenses such as:

• Working Capital to finance expenses such as:
• Purchase of raw materials

Investment Loan for expenses such as:

• Purchase of tangible and intangible assets
• Research, development and innovation
• Building works (construction, renovation and expansion of fixed assets)
• Licenses, software, etc.

The financing cannot be used for the refinancing or restructuring of existing loans of the company.

The loan amount can be up to €12.5 million

• Investment loan: 2 - 12 years
• Working capital: 2 - 8 years

• Investment loan: up to 36 months
• Working capital: up to 24 months

Euro (€)

Floating based on Euribor plus spread

• The spread will be reduced by at least 25 basis points per annum, when compared with the margin that would apply in the case the loan were funded with the bank’s own resources.
• The spread will be further reduced by 20 basis points per annum for loans granted to companies that meet the criteria of Jobs for Youth Initiative and/or Gender Equality and Women’s Economic Empowerment.
• These loans are exempt from the levy payable pursuant to Law 128/75

The customer's final interest rate is determined based on the Bank's current pricing policy and the customer's Credit Rating assessment.

Monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual installments & bullet or balloon payments.

The installments pay off:

• Interest and principal
• Interest only if there is a grace period

One-off or gradual instalments.

Early partial or full repayment is possible without any charge
The amount of the early repayment may not be re-drawn, except in the case of revolving loans.

The availability of the Program expires on 05.05.2027, unless the program budget is exhausted earlier.

“The financings are provided with the support of the European Investment Bank”

The following companies are eligible:

• Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) of any legal form, employing fewer than 250 employees, measured in Annual Work Units (AWU).
• Mid-Cap companies employing between 250 and 3,000 employees, measured in Annual Work Units (AWU).
• Companies that are headquartered, operate, and will invest within the Greek territory.
• Companies in which the Public Sector or the Broader Public Sector, or a Local Government Organization does not participate in a percentage greater than 25%
• Companies with an eligible business activity according to the list of eligible NACE codes. In the case of multiple NACE codes, both eligible and non-eligible, the NACE code generating the highest revenues is taken into account.

The programme primarily targets companies that meet the following criteria:

A) Gender Equality and Women’s Economic Empowerment

To qualify under this category, at least one of the following four sub-criteria must be met:
1) Women’s entrepreneurship: At least 51% of the company is owned by women.
and/or
2) Women’s leadership: At least 40% of female representation is provided in senior management, or in the Investment Committee, or among the non-executive Directors of the company, or at least 33% of female representation is provided among all Board of Directors (executive and non-executive).
and/or
3) Women’s employment: The company has in place inclusive employment policies that promote and retain women in quality employment, and employs a proportion of women above the national threshold for the specified sector.
and/or
4) Products and services: Products or services provided by the company specifically or disproportionally benefit women and/or girls or tackle a recognized gender gap.

Β) Jobs for Youth Initiative:

Within the previous 6 months or the next 6 months from the date of signing the loan agreement, the company must meet one of the following conditions:

• The SME has hired or will hire 1 young person (or 5 young persons in the case of a Mid-Cap) and commits to employing them for at least one year.
  and/or
• The SME has provided or will provide vocational training/education/internship of at least 3 months’ duration to 1 young person (or 5 young persons in the case of a Mid-Cap) within the framework of an active agreement with a technical school, university, or public employment service, or under the company’s official training/internship program.
  and/or
• o The SME or Mid-Cap has participated in a youth entrepreneurship programme run by an NGO or educational institution.

For the eligible NACE CODES please click here

To learn more about the Loans in cooperation with the European Investment Bank as well as the process of obtaining them:

• • Visit a Piraeus Bank branch
  Find a nearby branch