Setting up regional funds with the European Investment Fund

On 23 November 2023, the Policy Learning Platform hosted a webinar on the topic of Setting up regional funds with the European Investment Fund.

The webinar has been designed and moderated by Luc Schmerber and Rene Tõnnisson Thematic Experts for Smarter Europe.

Navigate the agenda below to the topic of your interest:

00:00:58: Introduction to the webinar and topic by Luc Schmerber and Rene Tõnnisson Thematic Experts for a Smarter Europe.

00:18:54: Keynote speech by Jorge Sanz Gonzalez, Mandate Manager at Strategy & Business Development at EIF, about the opportunities offered by the InvestEU Fund. 

00:40:09: Q&A: Does the EIF also invest in regional public funds? 

00:42:28: Q&A: What is the minimum of private participation?  

00:44:29: Presentation by Virginie Nouvelle, Managing Director of Wallimage (ALICE) about a regional fund dedicated to the audiovisual sector in Wallonia (Belgium)

01:01:24: Q&A: Was there a state aid element in the instrument described by Virginie?

01:02:41: Q&A: How long was the process of getting the EIF fund? How many years it took and was it a complicated process? 

01:05:37: Presentation by Inga Beiliūnienė, Member of the Management Board and Chief Business Development Officer at INVEGA (Innova-FI) about the transnational Baltic Innovation Fund.

01:17:05: Q&A: What are the typical, multiples or internal rate of returns or anything which you have already calculated for the first fund?

01:18:49: Q&A: How much of the total capital came from EIF and how much was from three Baltic countries? Was it more or less 50/50?

01:19:33: Q&A: How have you managed political interest from three countries considering that they are three different countries which all want to have their own piece of the cake?  How has this process been managed to make sure that everybody is happy and you still have investment, not on the political criteria but on the market conditions? 

Panel discussion 
01:22:59: Q&A: What about intermediaries between EIF and SMEs? In Italy, this role is usually covered by the banks, which are often not the most suitable subjects (different language from that of an entrepreneur)

01:25:32: Q&A: Does InvestEU Fund take some special rights compared to other investors? 

01:27:59 : Q&A: What is the average or typical negotiation process with a region or country?

01:30:32: Q&A: Does EIF support the process when people want to set up a transnational fund? 

01:32:02: Q&A: If EIF is providing the money, what can the regions expect on top of it? Is EIF a smart money provider?