Access to finance
05 November 2009by Ina Dimireva -- last modified 26 July 2012
An overview of the sources of finance available to SMEs in Spain.
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Legal requirements
Public finance
Indirect aid
To increase the chances of obtaining a bank loan, SMEs can go through a Mutual Guarantee Organisation (Sociedad de Garantía Recíproca); this is a non-profit organisation that acts as a guarantor, becoming liable should the business owner fail to make his/her repayments.
MGOs are guaranteed by a higher organisation, known as the Compañía Española de Reafianzamiento, S.A. (CERSA). This organisation basically provides refinancing or partial cover for the risk undertaken by MGOs. CERSA also has a helpline for companies with under 100 employees.
Compañía Española de Reafianzamiento, S.A. (CERSA)
Direct support
AXIS is a government-run organisation independent from the ICO, and is an example of a Spanish private investor specialising in venture capital.
AXIS - Participaciones Empresariales, S.A.
The Official Credit Institute (Instituto de Crédito Oficial - ICO) is a government business organisation, which reports to the Ministry of Finance and Finance.
All finance facilities offered by ICO
The SEPIDES is another state-run agency offering businesses located in impoverished areas specific finance facilities.
Business owners can request a certain amount of money from this type of institution, which they must pay back together with the agreed interest, within the period established.
The grants and subsidies available to business owners include grants for the recruitment of employees from certain groups, social security subsidies, etc.
Official Credit Institute (ICO)
Grant and aid seekers:
The One-Stop Shop for businesses (Ventanilla Única Empresarial Virtual) is a website providing information to business owners in Spain.
Business owners can seek advice from Local Government, as well as the provincial Chambers of Commerce.
Directory of Chambers of Commerce
The Spanish government finances businesses through the following programmes:
- Plan Avanza: this scheme, implemented by the Spanish Government in conjunction with local governments, offers support and finance to businesses to help them adapt to new technologies.
- ARTE PYME scheme: programme of subsidies to SMEs to help them carry out advanced telecommunications service projects.
- PROFIT scheme: this publishes competitions for government grants and aims to encourage greater technological research and development among businesses.
Main sources of public financing
Business support organisations can advise businesses on how to find financing.
Source: Your Europe