Invest-NL and Noord-Brabant finance SME growth

Martijn van Gruijthuijsen of the Provincial Executive and Wouter Bos, CEO of Invest-NL, signed the cooperation agreement that will make these investments happen. According to a study commissioned by the province of Noord-Brabant in 2017, it is very difficult for larger SMEs with plans for rapid growth to obtain the necessary financing from funds, banks or government bodies. Through cooperation with Invest-NL, the province will nevertheless be able to finance companies with large amounts at a higher risk. Loans of this kind will allow promising companies to grow faster and to tackle the major challenges facing our society, not least the sustainability transition.

Noord-Brabant will provide the loans through its SME-Plus facility. The hope is that these loans will persuade private investors such as banks and pension funds to follow suit. Loans of this kind can help a company build a new factory or set up a large-scale production operation, thereby accelerating the pace at which companies can bring their product to market.