The Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) has been confirmed as the main sponsor of the SBCI Grow SME Conference & Exhibition, to be held on the 31st of May in the RDS, Dublin. As Ireland’s largest conference and exhibition dedicated to the SME sector, SBCI is the ideal partner for this event. A key part of SBCI’s strategy is to engage directly with SMEs wherever they are located and in line with that, the organisation sees this event as an excellent opportunity to engage with Irish SMEs. “It’s also a chance for us to understand the issues SMEs are facing in accessing finance and to make them aware of the range of innovative financing products available for their businesses through the SBCI’s network of on-lenders,” says SBCI CEO Nick Ashmore.
The goal of the SBCI is to ensure access to flexible funding for Irish SMEs by facilitating the provision of flexible products with longer maturity and capital repayment flexibility, subject to credit approval. The organisation also facilitates lower cost funding to financial institutions, the benefit of which is passed on to SMEs along with market access for new entrants to the SME lending market, thereby creating real competition. All of these elements create a more competitive and dynamic environment for SME funding. SBCI has also become the operator of the Governments’ Credit Guarantee Scheme which complements the existing functions of the SBCI in providing greater access to finance for Irish businesses.
Latest data from the SME credit demand survey suggests that banks are more open to SME loan applications. Despite this, a large proportion of SMEs are still in the dark when it comes to the large range of options open to them in relation to funding. SBCI is making a range of tailored funding products available to Irish SMEs through eight on-lender partners. This funding covers Term Lending, Leasing, HP, Fleet Finance and Invoice Financing.
SBCI will be on-hand at the event to discuss the funding services they provide to SMEs and to help firms understand which products most suit their needs. “We are delighted to be participating in the SBCI Grow SME Conference & Exhibition and look forward to meeting with SMEs on the day and sharing our knowledge to help them grow their business.”
For more information, visit www.sbci.gov.ie
To book your place at SBCI Grow SME Conference & Exhibition, visit www.growsme.ie
About SBCI Grow SME Conference & Exhibition
SBCI Grow SME Conference & Exhibition is Ireland’s largest conference and exhibition dedicated to the SME sector. The event is a free one-day event that offers SME’s over 100 seminars to attend and over 80 exhibitors to network with.
The event is a conference and exhibition dedicated to helping SME’s grow their business and to equip leaders within the various business divisions with the tools and information to help them do so.
The conference is broken into the dedicated sections with over 100 speakers on hand to educate and inform the audience about the key issues effecting their business.
About Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI)
A new, strategic SME funding company, the SBCI’s goal is to ensure access to flexible funding for Irish SMEs by facilitating the provision of:
Flexible products with longer maturity and capital repayment flexibility, subject to credit approval;
Lower cost funding to financial institutions, the benefit of which is passed on to SMEs;
Market access for new entrants to the SME lending market, creating real competition.
All of these elements create a more competitive and dynamic environment for SME funding. The SBCI is a vital new part of the country’s financial architecture. By taking a fresh approach to funding SMEs in Ireland, the long-term potential of the sector to drive economic growth and job creation will be actively supported.
Funding is available to SMEs through both bank and non-bank specialist on-lenders. The release of long-term funds by promotional (or state-backed) financial institutions, through frontline (or traditional) finance providers, is a successful and effective model for funding SMEs throughout Europe. The SBCI is currently working with non-bank financial institutions (such as leasing and invoice discounting providers) to expand the range of products available for the Irish SME sector in order to deliver choice and competition.