SACE (Cdp Group) and Deutsche Bank join forces to activate Juncker Plan resources: € 100 million for the internationalization and innovation of Italian SMEs

Deutsche Bank and SACE (Cdp Group) have finalized a collaboration agreement as part of the "2i per l’Impresa” program, developed by Cassa depositi e prestiti (as the national entity for promotion of the Juncker Plan), SACE and the European Investment Fund (European Investment Bank group) with the objective of facilitating the financing of projects for the foreign expansion and innovation of Italian companies.

Under this agreement, which provides customer companies of the bank with € 100 million in new funding, SMEs and small mid-caps (up to 250 million in revenues and 499 employees) with at least 10% in export sales can apply at the Deutsche Bank branches for loans, guaranteed by SACE, to support the working capital requirements related to expansion in foreign markets or funding investments in R&D and internationalization.

The loans, from 36 to 96 months duration, are for amounts of € 100,000 to € 7.5 million and may be guaranteed up to 80% by SACE and EIF. 

“Internationalization and innovation are no longer an option today but a necessity for remaining competitive, and they require new resources and investments – declared Simonetta Acri, Head of Domestic Network at SACE –. "We, together with Cdp and EIF (EIB Group), are responding to this demand by supporting SMEs in accessing the financial resources of the Juncker Plan and strengthening our long-standing collaboration with Deutsche Bank, which has enabled us to support more than 120 excellent SMEs by financing their growth processes with over € 130 million.”

“SMEs and internationalization are part of our DNA – added Silvio Ruggiu, Head of branches network for Deutsche Bank in Italy –. We are convinced that for the development of a country, it must have an innovative and  dynamic entrepreneurial system.  Along with SACE, our long-standing partner, we have long been committed to support exporting companies capable of seizing internationalization opportunities to expand their business model and their range of action”.