The transition to a new, circular and sustainable way of doing business needs to happen on the ground. Eco-innovative entrepreneurs know that environmental protection makes business sense and understand how being innovative today will help them grow sustainably in the long term. Turning environmental challenges into business opportunities will help deliver a resource-efficient, green and competitive low-carbon EU economy.
The transition to a circular economy will bring solid financial advantages, but like any large-scale transition, it needs a kick-start. The Forum will examine financing opportunities for eco-innovative SMEs and will showcase successful companies who have succeeded in attracting investors and growing their business. It will explore the enabling factors and challenges of transitioning to a circular business model and will address these through the lens of business, finance and public sector.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is an active participant at this event where it will present his experiences with financing eco-innovative companies and the instruments and services available to ensure and enable better funding for research and innovation. One of these instruments is the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI). The focus of EIB’s participation will be on practical information on access to finance and bankability requirements.