1. Get the right expertise for your innovative business? Know how.

2. The know-how to help small businesses grow
The EBRD can help small and medium-sized enterprises access advice as well as finance
We’ve helped nearly 16,000 enterprises access know-how since 1993
We work in 29 countries across southern and eastern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East and Central Asia
We connect businesses with local consultants and international industry experts that can transfer essential know-how, expertise and effective business management tools.

3. Russia
Belarus
Ukraine
Kazakhstan
—Moldova
Mongolia
Croatia—
—Romania
Bosnia and Herzegovina—
—Serbia
Montenegro—
—Kosovo
Uzbekistan
Georgia—
—Bulgaria
—Kyrgyz Republic
Albania—
Armenia—
FYR Macedonia
Turkey
—Tajikistan
Azerbaijan
—Turkmenistan
Tunisia—
Cyprus—
—Lebanon
—Morocco
West Bank & Gaza—
—Jordan
Egypt

4. Results in Romania
Since 1993 we’ve helped over 900 enterprises access advice
We have a network of over 300 local consultants and 2,500 international experts
We focus on delivering international best practice to achieve tangible results
74% of our clients increased their turnover, with a median increase of 31%
56% of our clients improve their productivity -
63% see significant job creation

5. Tailored business advice for innovative SMEs
The EBRD provides the knowledge, the network and the skills that SMEs need to succeed, to grow and to become more competitive
In partnership with the European Union, under Horizon 2020, we are now focusing on supporting innovative SMEs
Our support covers all types of advisory services (technical, engineering, business, marketing, corporate governance, IT etc.), for companies in all industries (except EBRD and Horizon 2020 prohibited sectors)
Two categories of projects:
Local advisory projects
International advisory projects

6. Local advisory projects
Business advisory projects delivered by local consultants, to achieve a specific goal, in a short time frame (max. 6 months)
Impact results can typically be seen within a year after project completion
Local consultants have specific know-how in various areas, including strategy, marketing, organisation, ICT, etc.
EBRD grant to cover 70% of the assignment cost (average project cost €13,000)

7. Local advisory projects
Strategy
From business and strategic planning to feasibility studies and partner search.
Engineering Solutions
From production design to optimisation and deployment.
Marketing
From market research to branding and e-commerce.
Quality Management
From the ISO series to food safety to health and safety at work.
Organisation
From organisational development to human resources management.
Energy/Resource Efficiency
From energy audits to energy management and renewable energy.
Operations
From business process re-engineering to supply chain management.
Environmental Management
From environmental impact assessment to management and control. 
ICT
From management information systems to computerised manufacturing systems and enterprise resource planning.

8. International advisory projects
Opportunity to work with an international expert from the same industry
Intensive, month advisory projects, providing tailored mentoring to local company executives, to support them in achieving long-term goals
Working closely with senior management, sharing best practices and performing a strategic review of every aspect of an enterprise
For relatively mature, medium-sized companies (above €10-20 mil) looking to compete on the global frontier
EBRD grant to cover between 88% and 78% of project cost ; Average project budget is €45,000

9. Eligibility criteria
Size: (1) up to €50 million in annual turnover or a balance sheet total of less than €43 million, (2) fewer than 250 employees, exceptionally up to 3000 employees;
Ownership: Majority owned by local entrepreneurs, or by entrepreneurs from one of the EBRD countries of operation  
Sector: All sectors, excluding EBRD and Horizon 2020 prohibited sectors
Innovation: Innovative companies, according to specific criteria. Start-ups are also eligible.
All eligibility criteria are available at

10. Client cost-sharing
Enterprise size
Local advisory
Int’l
advisory
Additional for local advisory:
25% cost sharing for projects in the area of Energy/Resource Efficiency
Micro (<10 employees, <€2m turnover)
30%
12%
Small (<50 employees, <€10m turnover)
16%
Medium (<250/500 employees, <€20m turnover)
18%
Medium+ (<250/500 employees, <€50m turnover)
22%
Thanks to the support of our donor, the European Union,
we can share the cost of advisory projects with our clients

11. EBRD-EU initiative under Horizon 2020
A €20 million pilot programme was launched in 2018, under the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, Horizon 2020, which will help innovative SMEs in Romania, Bulgaria and Latvia
The EBRD and the European Union are providing a comprehensive package of finance, advisory support and measures to promote green technologies
Advisory support was launched in Romania on 4 June.
The finance and green technologies components will be launched later this year. More details soon.

12. Agroserv Măriuța: changing the business model
Founded in 1994, Agroserv Măriuța is one of the largest dairy farms in southern Romania
Due to small margins offered by the Romanian milk market, the company’s growth was limited and it was forced to change direction and start exports within the EU community
We connected Agroserv Mariuta to Webventure Interactive, a local consultant specializing in marketing and ICT solutions, to help them develop the sales tools needed to attract foreign customers
The consultant created and tested a new, professional and customer-friendly brand for the company and developed a state-of-the-art website, which incorporated online marketing tools, to act as a sales platform for company exports
The company went from 0 to 100% exports within a year of project completion, to EU clients that contacted Agroserv via the new sales platform
See case study for more details on the project

13. Inteliform: implementation of lean manufacturing techniques
Industrial moulds producer founded in 1994 in Timisoara
In 2014, the company owned a 800 sqm production facility and CNC equipment worth €2 mil, but production processes were not efficient, leading to a suboptimal use of equipment, bottlenecks and significant downtime.
In order to increase production and business efficiency, the company decided to apply Lean principles with the help of Effective Flux, a local consultant specialising in process and organisational optimization
The consultant introduced company management and staff to lean production principles and techniques, performed an initial workflow audit, trained the team on the 5S system (Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardise, Sustain), implemented visual management, equipment management and problem solving methods and performed a final workflow audit and drafted an adjustment plan.
One year after project completion, Inteliform’s production efficiency and turnover have increased significantly.
See case study for more details on the project

14. Ciserom: accessing international markets
Socks producer with a 90-year history in Romania, founded in 1927
In 2012, Ciserom reinvented itself through a rebranding process, aiming to cater to a premium segment, and needed expertise to compete internationally
Heimo P. Obernosterer, an international adviser with more than 15 years of experience in the textile industry worked with Ciserom
Together they performed a strategic review of the company and traced a direction for national and international growth
They also established an export department, developed an annual budgeting system and created an investment plan for the company’s production facilities
One year after project completion, the company more than doubled its exports, simultaneously increasing turnover by 16%.
See case study for more details on the project

15. SME Finance & Development
Thank you!
Alina Marchiş
SME Finance & Development