1/5
Bridging European policy and markets. This is the EIF.
Powering businesses, strengthening Europe.
We want to make it easier for European SMEs and infrastructure projects to access financing at every stage of their development. By channelling funding to businesses in key areas of the economy, or breaking new ground with our investments, the EIF fosters EU objectives that benefit both people and the economy.
Backing bold ideas, no matter how small or big.
From the start-up and scale-up phase to the later stages of growth, our support aims to help businesses thrive. The EIF's debt financing toolkit keeps finance accessible and affordable for entrepreneurs. Our equity funding flows through the ecosystem to underserved markets, first time teams, and strategic investments.
Mobilising funding for catalytic infrastructure.
The EIF supports infrastructure investment indirectly by developing markets, taking higher risk, and investing equity through funds and intermediaries. We focus on innovation and market development, complementing the activity of the EIB - and together, covering the full infrastructure financing spectrum.
Key figures in 2025
2/5
Building a green and sustainable future
Together with the EIB - one of the world’s main financers of climate action - we play a leading role in financing businesses and infrastructure projects. The second phase of our Climate Bank Roadmap doubles down on our climate objectives, placing sustainability at the heart of our activities.
3/5
Safeguarding our security
The EIB Group has responded to calls by European leaders to step up its support to defence and security. The joint Security and Defence Office is our one-stop-shop for financing and expert assistance, including the EIF dedicated funding instruments. Bolstering projects to keep Europe safe, resilient, and innovative.
4/5
Creating a single market for capital
The capital markets union (CMU) remains a core EIB Group and EIF priority to deepen the financial integration across the European Union and diversify funding sources for businesses. In this way, we aim to strengthen economic resilience, drive competitiveness, and boost cross-border growth.
5/5
Financing housing and infrastructure
More and better homes are part of the EIB Group's commitment to strengthening Europe's housing sector by providing finance and expertise. While EIF's social infrastructure projects are showing promising results, we also prioritise investments in green and digital infrastructure.
Latest calls for intermediaries
Why our work matters for
Scaling Europe's innovation ecosystem
Our EIF Equity Survey 2025 highlights the EU’s relative strength in innovation and technology potential, attractive investment opportunities, founders' ambition, and access to talent.
Still, important gaps persist between the EU and the US in many areas. The EIF uniquely sits at the intersection of finance, policy, and European value creation to unlock market and investment conditions for further growth.