- EIB provides €150 million to ČSOB Leasing to finance Slovak SMEs and Mid-Caps
- Operation is expected to mobilize €420 million in new financing to boost competitivenes of Slovak economy
- EIB partnership ČSOB has been unlocking fresh financing to Slovak companies for over two decades
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has provided €150 million to ČSOB Leasing to top up its financing capacity and create a new source of long-term funding for green investments by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and Mid-Caps across Slovakia. The partnership is expected to mobilise more than €420 million of investment, with the majority directed to EU cohesion regions, supporting climate action, strengthening economic convergence and improving quality of life across the country.
The EIB–ČSOB Leasing operation will enable Slovak companies to finance projects such as modernization of vehicle fleets, machinery, equipment and improve other productive assets. This includes financing for the deployment of electric and hybrid vehicles, energy-efficient machinery and cost-saving renewable energy technologies such as rooftop solar. EIB Group support will accelerate the green transition of the Slovak economy, reduce energy costs for businesses and cut emissions, with positive impacts on air quality and quality of life for citizens.
“The EIB is determined to continue supporting operations and partnerships that safeguard jobs, foster sustainable regional development and contribute to a modern, competitive and greener Slovakia. This loan to CSOB will ultimately help smaller Slovak companies modernise, innovate and increase their competitiveness, ” said EIB Vice-President Mora, responsible for operations in Slovakia.
“The cooperation between ČSOB Leasing and the EIB is good news for our clients, as it enables them to better finance their needs, modernise their businesses and vehicle fleets. In a time when every day is a challenge for entrepreneurs to maintain their competitiveness, such support is essential,” said Michal Hollý, CFO ČSOB Leasing.
The operation builds on the EIB’s longstanding partnership with the KBC Group in Central and Eastern Europe, which has been delivering EIB-supported financing to Slovak companies for over two decades. SMEs and Mid-Caps form the backbone of the Slovak economy, with SMEs alone representing about 75% of jobs in the private economy and around 59% of employment in the whole Slovak economy.
Backing Slovakia’s green and digital transition
The new financing addresses persistent gaps in access to long-term credit for smaller companies and for investments in low-carbon technologies, particularly outside major urban centres. It combines cohesion and climate objectives by offering advantageous funding conditions and longer maturities tailored to the investment needs of Slovak SMEs and Mid-Caps.
As an additional benefit under this agreement, the EIB Group is ready to implement advisory support under its Green Gateway facility to help ČSOB Leasing identify, assess and report on green projects more effectively. This will increase the volume and quality of climate and environmental investments in Slovakia, support regional employment and sustainable growth, and reinforce the country’s economic resilience as it advances towards a more competitive, low-carbon economy.
Background information
EIB Group
The European Investment Bank (ElB) Group is the financing arm of the European Union, owned by the 27 Member States, and one of the largest multilateral development banks in the world. In 2025, the EIB Group signed €100 billion of new financing and advisory services for over 870 high-impact projects in eight core priorities that support EU policy objectives: climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, territorial cohesion, agriculture and the bioeconomy, social infrastructure, strong global partnerships and the avings and investment union. Beyond long-term loans for large infrastructures, the EIB Group crowds-in private investment for high-risk innovative projects and businesses, with a growing role in Europe’s markets for venture debt, venture capital, guarantees and securitisations.
The European Investment Fund (EIF) is the subsidiary of the EIB Group specialised in providing guarantees and equity to improve access to finance for small and medium size businesses and startups across Europe. Acting as an anchor investor, through its extensive network of partnering banks and investment funds, the EIF mobilizes private investment and nurtures the ecosystem of venture capital funds to support innovative European entrepreneurs.
In 2023, the EIF together with six member states (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands) launched the European Tech Champions Initiative, a fund of funds to scale-up innovative startups. This initiative has already enabled the creation of 13 European venture capital mega-funds and scaled up 38 companies, including 11 unicorns (with more than €1 billion in capital).