Mesofinance Media - News #SMEsMesofinance Media - News #SMEshttps://www.mesofinance.org/news/tag/smesSat, 03 Jan 2026 04:47:06 -0800http://zoho.com/sites/<![CDATA[Intesa Sanpaolo expanding SME financing, international trade support in Albania, Serbia]]>https://www.mesofinance.org/news/post/intesa-sanpaolo-expanding-sme-financing-international-trade-support-in-albania-serbiaIntesa Sanpaolo boosts focus on SMEs]]>
Intesa Sanpaolo, an Italian bank with operations in 12 countries in Europe and North Africa, recently expanded a program for small and medium-sized enterprises to its subsidiary banks in Albania, Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia. The program supports SMEs with greater access to finance and cross-border services. In other countries where Intesa Sanpaolo has rolled out this effort, “Just a few months after launch, the project… has achieved results far in excess of the targets set, with more than 600 customers involved and over [USD 270 million] in financing granted,” said Giuseppe Ferraro, Head of the Corporate & SME Department of Intesa Sanpaolo's International Subsidiary Banks Division.
]]>Mon, 19 Feb 2024 16:25:26 -0500<![CDATA[Skoll World Forum \ 9-12 April \ Oxford, United Kingdom]]>https://www.mesofinance.org/news/post/skoll-world-forum-9-12-april-oxford-united-kingdomHybrid event on social entrepreneurship.]]>
This annual gathering focused on using entrepreneurship to address global challenges - such as climate change and access to healthcare - will take place both in-person and online. The detailed agenda has not been released, but the 2023 iteration included sessions such as: (1) Do Carbon Markets Have a Place in an Equitable Future?; (2) Nurturing Resilient Health and Wellbeing for Change Makers; and (3) Chain Reaction: Localizing Value Chains to Drive Change.

The application window to attend in-person officially closed on January 31, but online participation is free and open to all. Registration to attend online is scheduled to open during February 2024. There are also a range of associated in-person events to take place in Oxford during the 4-day forum, and details on these are expected to be released soon. The forum is hosted by the Skoll Foundation, which was founded by Jeff Skoll in 1999 and focuses on supporting social entrepreneurs via a global network. For more information, you may email registration@skoll.org or call +1 650 331 1031.
]]>Wed, 07 Feb 2024 13:26:49 -0500<![CDATA[FinOS cloud banking picks up Success Microfinance Bank of Zimbabwe]]>https://www.mesofinance.org/news/post/finos-cloud-banking-picks-up-success-microfinance-bank-of-zimbabweSuccess Microfinance signs with FinOS]]>
A US-based provider of core banking software, FinOS, recently signed on Success Microfinance Bank, which has one branch in each of four cities in Zimbabwe. Success Microfinance, which was founded 13 years ago as Collarhedge Finance, provides lending, savings, treasury, payment card and transfer services - including via digital channels - mainly to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). FinOS has offices in India, UAE and the US, reportedly serving 50 banking customers in 10 countries.
]]>Tue, 23 Jan 2024 14:26:04 -0500<![CDATA[Digital Gabon Project seeking to boost access to procurement channels, identification documents, health insurance, social protection payments]]>https://www.mesofinance.org/news/post/digital-gabon-project-seeking-to-boost-access-to-procurement-channels-identification-documents-healtNew tech options in Gabon]]>

The government of Gabon recently received financing from the World Bank for the Digital Gabon Project, which is intended to expedite the adoption of digital public services. Efforts to maximize data security span the entire effort, whose elements include: Enabling Environment for Accelerated Digital Transformation; Modernizing Legal ID Systems; and Digital Transformation of Public Administration and Select Services. Among the goals of the project is to engage groups that under-utilize government services, such as people with disabilities and members of indigenous groups, to access government contracts for their businesses as well as health insurance and social protection payments for their families.

Author: Yuchen Jin

]]>Thu, 18 Jan 2024 15:17:59 -0500<![CDATA[DFC opening office in Dominican Republic, loaning $200m to Banco Popular Dominicano for on-lending to small businesses]]>https://www.mesofinance.org/news/post/dfc-opening-office-in-dominican-republic-loaning-200m-to-banco-popular-dominicano-for-on-lending-to The International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), an institution backed by the US government, recently agreed to issue a loan of USD 200 milli ]]>
The International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), an institution backed by the US government, recently agreed to issue a loan of USD 200 million to Banco Popular Dominicano to expand its funding of small enterprises. DFC also plans to open a new office in the city of Santo Domingo to handle its planned increase in investment in the Caribbean. Banco Popular Dominicano, which is a subsidiary of the Dominican Republic-based Grupo Popular, offers loans, savings, insurance and payment cards as well as investment services. The bank was established in 1963 and reported total assets of DOP 701 billion (USD 12.1 billion) as of September 2023.
Author: Renata Samadova


]]>Fri, 05 Jan 2024 17:15:24 -0500<![CDATA[EBRD lending €7m to Unicredit for green lending to SMEs in BiH]]>https://www.mesofinance.org/news/post/ebrd-lending-€7m-to-unicredit-for-green-lending-to-smes-in-bihGreen funding for SMEs in BiH]]>

This transaction, which is funded by the EU, will flow to the local unit of Italy's Unicredit Group. SMEs in Bosnia and Herzegovina that access the funds will be eligible for grants of up to 15% of their sub-loan value upon completion of their projects. The goal of the projects is for the SMEs to reach "the highest EU climate, environmental protection and other standards." EBRD will issue the wholesale loan to UniCredit Bank d.d. Mostar.


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