How Digital Innovation Can Improve Access to Finance for SMEs

Access to finance remains a critical barrier for SMEs to start, sustain and grow their businesses in the CEE region and worldwide. Yet, despite their important role in job creation and economic activity, SMEs still receive a disproportionately small share of credit from the financial system.

SMEs’ diverse nature, manual processes, legacy technology, regulatory constraints, and lack of personalized products and services are just a few of the reasons that have limited the extent to which banks have been able to support SMEs. At the same time, competition from alternative financing providers is intensifying. How can banks or other traditional lenders better serve SMEs?

Here are the presentation slides.