NEFI - Network of European Financial Institutions for SMEs: NEFI

NEFI eBrochure
- eBrochure
“The financing by HBOR enabled us to realize our idea of the first touristic boat in Vukovar after 1932.”
- Waterbus Bajadera Vukovar, Croatia
“ALTUM Start-ups programme made it possible to build the foundation for starting our business.”
- SIA Sajūtu mednieces, Latvia
“Our vision of an electric driven motor scooter in Europe became reality with the support of KfW”
- E-bility GmbH, Germany
“With the new funding from Finnvera we were able to take the first steps in the global market”
- Uplause Ltd, Finland
“Thanks to funding from ICO we obtained the best price on financing terms.”
- BIO-DIS Laboratories, Spain

The network

The Network of European Financial Institutions for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (NEFI), which was founded in 1999, consists currently of 19 financial institutions from 18 European Union Member States and UK. In 2025, NEFI members actively supported and financed more than 311.000 SMEs all over Europe with more than EUR 77,8 billion of financing, mainly in the form of loans and guarantees.

Our members

All NEFI members share a public mission to facilitate the access to finance for SMEs by offering them financial services and expertise. NEFI members act complementary to and in cooperation with the national banking system through co-financing, risk-sharing, expertise and advisory services in order to address shortcomings in the SME financial markets.

mutual exchange

Maintain a permanent and constructive dialogue on SME financing issues with the European Union institutions and with other SME-related European associations and federations.

Knowledge transfer

Provide expertise and advice for the EU and its financial institutions in the planning and implementation of EU-wide promotional and financing schemes.

Access to finance

Facilitate the access of SME clients to both European and national financing schemes.

Cooperation & learning

Foster our mutual cooperation and learning from each other as well as the cooperation with European (financial) institutions for the benefit of SMEs and their financing.