The Institut Català de Finances (ICF) took part in the 20^th Mercado Financipyme organised by PIMEC at the Barcelona Stock Exchange. The CEO of the ICF, Josep Ramon Sanromà, took part in this act and underlined the public-private cooperation to enable companies to obtain a greater source of finance. “We will multiply resources for SMEs if we cooperate, co-finance and co-invest”, he declared in reference to the private financial sector.

Mercado Financiapyme is an initiative undertaken by PIMEC which enables companies to access over 30 financial entities including national and international public and private entities. The aim is to enable SMEs to present their business project directly to these entities and obtain the best financing following an auction-like effect. Over 120 companies have taken part in these twenty editions, obtaining over 115 million euros in financing.

The act was also attended by the Minister for Enterpriseand Employment, Felip Puig, who stated that “the national structures we have created to respond to the needs of companies are being to bear fruit”. In addition, he noted that “Catalonia is leading the market in the transformation and diversification of corporate financing, both as regards the volume of investment and transactions”. He also thanked small and medium size enterprises for “the major efforts they are making which help to maintain Catalonia at the forefront of the economic recovery”.

Josep González, president of PIMEC, reiterated that “the business community of the country comprises small companies and one of the reasons behind this is the lack of financing”. Despite this, González made clear that “the figures show a slight improvement in the access to bank credit on the part of SMEs but more can be done”. For this reason, “PIMEC remains alert, working to make corporate financing continue”. He also expressed his gratitude for the participation and involvement of “the Barcelona Exchange, the ICF and financial entities in this alternative financing initiative which encourages us to work even harder”.

Josep M. Antúnez, general director of the Barcelona Exchange, stressed that “the 20 editions of these gatherings of financial entities and companies, which on the initiative of PIMEC have been held in the Conference Room of the Barcelona Exchange, demonstrate the success and consolidation of Mercado Financiapyme as an instrument for financing SMEs. In this respect, he noted that the securities markets, especially the Alternative Equity Market (MAB) designed specifically for SMEs, also constitutes a highly suitable system for financing the growth of the companies on these markets, by capturing equity, while at the same time contributing to the necessary diversification of the sources of business financing”.