European Investment Fund

EIF was founded in 1994 to support Europe's small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) by enhancing their access to finance.

EIF was founded in 1994 to support Europe's small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) by enhancing their access to finance. EIF designs and develops venture capital and guarantees instruments which specifically target this market segment. The EIF total net commitments to private equity funds amounted to over EUR 4.6bn by Sept 2010. With investments in over 300 funds, the EIF is a leading player in European venture due to the scale and the scope of its investments, especially in high-tech and early-stage segments. The EIF commitment in guarantees totalled over EUR 13.6bn in over 160 operations, positioning it as a major European SME guarantees actor and a leading micro-finance guarantor.