«We inform you that the submission of funding applications in the Information State Aid System (PSKE) and the Information System of the Hellenic Development Bank (HDB) for the “Digitalization co financing loans ” Fund is temporarily suspended. The Fund will be reactivated soon with the adoption of the new EU Regulation 2831/2023 (new De Minimis)».
Digitalization Co-Financing Loans
The Digitalization Co-Financing Loans Fund was established to provide favorable terms regarding investment loans to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), offering 40% of the capital interest rate-free and a two-year partial interest subsidy upon the Financial Intermediary’s interest rate for the remaining 60% of the capital, in order to undertake investment projects in digitalization and digital upgrade of their operations.
Purpose of Financing
The Fund aims to support SMEs to meet their investment purposes, which are submitted via a business plan, in order to digitize and digital upgrade their operations, so as to increase productivity, achieve business growth and create new jobs.
Which Enterprises Are Eligible
The Fund applies to small and medium-sized enterprises that own a legal establishment and operate within Greece and were established up to the year of submitting the financing application to the Financial Intermediary.
Co-Financing Scheme
The Fund provides 40% of the capital for each loan interest rate-free, while the remaining 60% is charged by the Financial Intermediary. Additionally, a partial interest subsidy (up to 3%) on the interest rate applied by the Financial Intermediary on its capital for the first two years of the loan is offered (starting from the first disbursement).
The Fund’s Budget
The Digitalization Co-Financing budget amounts to €73 million, after a reallocation of resources between the three Funds of the Business Growth Fund, which was held in July 2023, (initial budget was €100 million). Along with the participation of Financial Intermediaries by 60% in each loan, a total loan portfolio of approximately €175 million was formed for the Fund. The Fund covers interest subsidy for 2 years with an estimated additional budget of €6,57 million.
Financial Advantages For The SMEs
The financial advantages for the SMEs are presented below:
- The capital part of the loans financed by the Fund (i.e., 40% of the capital of each loan) is interest rate-free.
- The Fund subsidizes a portion of the interest rate imposed by the Financial Intermediary upon its share of the capital (that is the remaining 60% of each loan). This subsidy applies for the first two years of the loan (starting from the first disbursement) and reduces the overall borrowing cost for the enterprise by 3% (i.e. 300 basis points), assisting the enterprise to save money.
- Each Financial Intermediary participating in the Fund is required to reduce the interest rate of each loan by at least 25 basis points (bps) per year compared to the interest rates that would be applied to equivalent financing without the Fund’s subsidy.
- The maximum amount of collateral that a Financial Intermediary may request for each financing cannot exceed 100% of the loan capital.
Loan Amount Range
The loan amount may range from € 25.000 up to € 1.000.000.
Collateral
The Financial Intermediary may request contractual and/or security in rem, in accordance with its credit policy. The maximum amount of collateral that can be required though cannot exceed 100% of the loan capital.
State Aid Framework
The State Aid framework that applies to the Digitalization Co-Financing Loans is Regulation (EU) No. 1407/2013 (De Minimis).
Loan Duration Range
The loan duration may range from two (2) to ten (10) years, including the possibility of obtaining a grace period of up to 24 months for the capital repayment.
Loan Disbursements
The loan can be disbursed either in a lump sum or in installments. The first disbursement of the loan must be concluded before the end of the Eligibility Period (30.06.2025), while installment disbursements must be concluded within 36 months from the first disbursement and, in any case, up to 30.06.2026, whichever date comes first.
Application Process
Potential SMEs must apply via:
- A) The Know Your Customer (KYC) platform of the Hellenic Development Bank S.A., which is available on the website hdb.gr. Each submitted application goes through a series of eligibility criteria assessments and upon relevant approval, the application is forwarded to the pre-selected Financial Intermediaries for the submission of a non-binding offer. Once the application is initially accepted by a Financial Intermediary, viz it receives a non-binding offer from the interested party, a unique KYC code is issued.
- B) The Information State Aid System (PSKE), which is available on the website https://www.ependyseis.gr/. At this point the unique application number from the KYC platform (KYC code) is entered and the SME declares the Financial Intermediary from which it wishes to get financed and has already received the non-binding offer.
Cooperative Financial Intermediaries:
- ALPHA BANK
- EUROBANK
- PIRAEUS BANK
- NATIONAL BANK OF GREECE
- PANCRETA BANK
- ATTICA BANK
- OPTIMA BANK
- COOPERATIVE BANK OF THESSALY
- COOPERATIVE BANK OF KARDITSA
- COOPERATIVE BANK OF CHANIA
- COOPERATIVE BANK OF EPIRUS
- AEGEAN BALTIC BANK
- PROCREDIT BANK
The European Investment Bank (EIB), which is the financial institution of the European Union created in accordance with Article 309 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, collaborates alongside with the Hellenic Development Bank (HDB), the Greek State and the Financial Intermediaries, in order to finance investment programs that contribute to the goals of the European Union. Learn more about the European Investments Bank (EIB) role in supporting SME’s.
