Priority - 3 - Financial REsources for Developing Enterprises (FREDE)
FAQ
 

The operations  under the priority will be concentrated on:

 

3.1 Support for guarantee funds - creation and capitalisation of guarantee funds / schemes, including expansion of the activities of already operating ones. Expenses will cover capitalization of the funds/schemes, management costs  and external consultancy services and trainings.

 

3.2 Support for micro-loan funds - support will be provided to existing mico-loan funds / schemes, as well as for newly created ones, including local or regional funds or branches of funds. Expenses will cover capitalization of the funds/schemes, management costs  and external consultancy services and trainings.


3.3 Support for venture capital funds investing in SMEs – support will be provided to seed and venture capital funds extending their operations to invest in Bulgarian SMEs. Expenses will cover capitalization of the SME financing operations of the VC funds and management costs incurred.


3.4 Support for creating or extending the operation of existing business angels networks in Bulgaria. The networks will provide matching services to put SMEs with business angels – high worth successful professionals who wish to invest some of their surplus funds in new ventures.  Supported actions will cover the operating cost of the networks, including match-making services, consultations and trainings to SMEs, etc.

 

Where possible synergy effect with other priorities should be acheved by using integrated approaches like:


• Support for small risk capital, guarantee or loan funds operating as a subsidiary of high technology business incubators (supported under Priority 1) and targeted to innovative SMEs;
• Support for business angel networks including high technology business incubators (supported under Priority 1), Business Support Organisations (supported under Priority 2)  and  clusters (supported under Priority 2) in order to facilitate relations between business angels and SMEs;
• Establishment of Mutual Guarantee Associations by group of SMEs, business support associations and/or Chamber of Commerce, sometimes in partnership with banks, in order to provide guarantee for loans and business support services to SMEs using capacity of their members, etc.


Appropriate synergy with JEREMIE initiative would be also sought.