1. Microfinance @ work: The Greek success story! DIFASS Project (Interreg IVC) – International Conference “Access to finance for SME’s – Innovative tools for entrepreneurship support” Get business done! www.trek.gr

2. This is TREK Consulting Consultancy and Professional Services firm, providing Management and Information Technology services to small, medium and large Organizations all across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.  19 years of experience in E.U. funded initiatives  more than 1.500 subsidized funded projects  More than 4 billion € projects under TREK supervision  Pioneer in Financial Instruments  Proffered partner of European Investment Bank in S.E.E. 9/9/20142

3. FACTS:  97% are SMEs in E.U. - 98% in Greece  9/10 of SMEs are micro*  90% of E.U. firms are micro - 97% in Greece * micro: < 10 employees & < 2M € small: < 50 » & <10M € medium <250 » & <50M € 9/9/20143

4. Facts:  99% of E.U. start-ups are micro firms  Micro-enterprises provide 50% of jobs in Greece (30% in E.U.)  Value added contribution from SMEs dropped by 35% in Greece!  Employment by SMEs dropped by +35% in Greece! 9/9/20144

5. The Case: 9/9/2014 Greece, September 2014 The Greek SME tragedy whilst struggling for financing TRY THIS: Apply for a loan, or a guarantee from a systemic Bank YOY GET: Rejection, no questions asked! or best case a 10% interest rate! Remember: ECB rate is 0,05% ! 5

6. The Case: …so here come the questions:  How to get financing as a micro – small firm?  How to overcome low “bankability”?  How to overcome bureaucracy from the “Athenian” Government?  How to pay much less interest rate than the 10% ? 9/9/20146

7. The solution: E.U. and EiB join together for the microfinance instrument Senior loans even to “non bankable” up to 25.000€ Very low interest rates, grace period and other perks! TO WHOM: Micro, small enterprises, entrepreneurs of all major industries, even start-upers, vulnerary groups and unemployed ! 9/9/20147

8. HOW IT WORKS: 9/9/20148

9. How it works: Is this really working?YES! 9/9/20149

10. The Greek experience: PART A! TREK designed and executed a 6m€ loan fund Intermediary: CB of Peloponnese Focus on: Tourism & exporting agro-products Interest rate: ~ 2,8% ( with the highest country risk, back in 2013 ) Benefits: 350 small Peloponnese companies/family businesses > 2,000 employees 9/9/201410

11. The Greek experience: PART B! TREK designed and executed a 4,5m€ loan fund Intermediary: CB of Karditsa Focus on: contractual & exporting agro-products Interest rate: ~ 2,0% Benefits: 300 small Peloponnese companies/family businesses > 1,500 employees 9/9/201411

12. Who’s next?..so, what’s for Western Macedonia? 9/9/201412

13. a good to happen proposition: Initiation of the W.M. Regional Financial Instrument (the WM fund) Lead by: the Region of W.M. Mobilize: Revolving funds & Private contribution ( i.e. financial Institutions ) Est. size: 15 m€ Benefit: More than 750 SMEs 3.000-3.500 employees More than 3.000 households Promote and support the exporting agro-industry & contractual agriculture 9/9/201413

14. That’s all Thank you! Dinos Papapolyzos dinos@trek.gr 9/9/201414

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