Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ALTFInator (Capacity-building of the financial ecosystem and its participants for improving innovative SME´s access to alternative forms of finance in Europe with focus on SE and CEE)
Reporting period: 2019-05-01 to 2020-04-30
Alternative financing (AF) for businesses across Europe has increased considerably in recent years, becoming an important source of finance for entrepreneurs, startups and SMEs. However, access to AF varies considerably across Europe with Southern, Central and Easter European regions lagging behind Northern and Western European regions in terms of AF volume (total and per capita). To bridge this gap, Altfinator will facilitate the transfer of best practices from more advanced to less advanced markets. We will design, develop and implement a capacity-building strategy for the financial ecosystem and its participants in South, Central and Eastern European countries to improve the provision and absorption of AF.
Altfinator is a large-scale project and the overall objective of Altfinator project is to help to create a developed alternative financing market in our target regions.
Long-term strategic objective of the project is to increase the competitiveness and growth of European innovative SMEs.
Direct objective of the project is to improve innovative SME´s access to alternative forms of finance and absorb the potential emerging new forms (i.e. ICO) empowered by innovative financial technologies.
Operational objective of the project is to design, develop and implement a capacity-building strategy to increase the capacity of the financial ecosystem and its participants in South, Central and Eastern European countries for provision and absorption of alternative forms of financing for SMEs.
The related sub-objectives are to:
• To map and analyse the framework conditions and establish the capacity-building strategy and implementation plan.
• To provide cross-European information architecture with materials, resources and online tools for capacity building and matching of innovative SMEs to alternative finance schemes and their providers.
• To engage and broaden the stakeholder community, complemented by equal increase of knowledge, capacity and partnerships in support of provision and absorption of alternative forms of financing for innovative SMEs.
• To review the impact of the implementation and provide the evidence-base for adaption and sustainability of the scheme in the light of experience.
• To provide stakeholders at European and International level, with the information concerning the Altfinator activities, events, achievements, respective web platform, material and tools.
Altfinator is a large-scale project and the overall objective of Altfinator project is to help to create a developed alternative financing market in our target regions.
Long-term strategic objective of the project is to increase the competitiveness and growth of European innovative SMEs.
Direct objective of the project is to improve innovative SME´s access to alternative forms of finance and absorb the potential emerging new forms (i.e. ICO) empowered by innovative financial technologies.
Operational objective of the project is to design, develop and implement a capacity-building strategy to increase the capacity of the financial ecosystem and its participants in South, Central and Eastern European countries for provision and absorption of alternative forms of financing for SMEs.
The related sub-objectives are to:
• To map and analyse the framework conditions and establish the capacity-building strategy and implementation plan.
• To provide cross-European information architecture with materials, resources and online tools for capacity building and matching of innovative SMEs to alternative finance schemes and their providers.
• To engage and broaden the stakeholder community, complemented by equal increase of knowledge, capacity and partnerships in support of provision and absorption of alternative forms of financing for innovative SMEs.
• To review the impact of the implementation and provide the evidence-base for adaption and sustainability of the scheme in the light of experience.
• To provide stakeholders at European and International level, with the information concerning the Altfinator activities, events, achievements, respective web platform, material and tools.
The second period of the Altfinator project was ended successfully with all general objectives accomplished. Here is the overview of activities carried out by work packages in the second period:
WP1 Project management – The main focus was on administrative and financial management, quality and risk management, and Advisory Board engagement. In the second period, three more deliverables were submitted, two amendments made to the DoA and more than 12 meetings held with the consortium and the Advisory Board.
WP2 Capacity-building strategy – The main objective in the second project period was to deliver an updated capacity-building strategy and implementation plan adapted according to stakeholder feedback received from the Advisory Board and event participants. Results include two deliverables: D2.6 a future outlook on fintech solutions and scenarios for alternative finance in the upcoming years, and D2.5 the adapted Altfinator capacity-building strategy with updated plans for national implementation.
WP3 Resources and tools – In this period, the web platform was updated with training materials and newsletters, an interactive web documentary about Altfinator resources and the matchmaking tool was launched with references to more than 500 AF providers and engaging over 250 interested parties. The previously created materials were updated and promoted via partners' channels. the highlight of WP3 was the submission of D3.4 White paper on alternative finance.
WP4 SME engagement and capacity-building activities - This work package was focused entirely on organizing events and activating stakeholders via webinars, workshops and roundtables. For this, the 2nd international workshop was held in The Netherlands, three additional workshops held in Slovakia in cooperation with the local Fintech Association, two editions of MOOCs were launched and recorded (with approx. 1700 participants), and 9+ national events were held in Ukraine, Romania, Italy, Hungary, Lithuania, Spain and Portugal. Results include the delivery of 4 reports on capacity-building activities and MOOCs.
WP5 Impact monitoring and sustainability - WP5 was entirely focused on ensuring the sustainability of the project and collecting feedback about activities executed in the project. Results of this WP are gathered in 3 deliverables: two impact monitoring reports and the Altfinator exploitation plan. Highlights include the development of the Altfinator hub concept and the soft kickoff of the hub network.
WP 6 Communication and dissemination – The aim of this WP in the second period was to ensure widest dissemination of information concerning the project activities, knowledge emerged and results produced to a range of stakeholders on a European level with the support of an updated dissemination strategy (adapted according to the learnings of the first year and the mid-term review). In addition to the day-to-day activities supporting project implementation, a final event was held as a part of this WP with specific reports delivered on all communication activities.
Within May 2018 and April 2020, Altfinator delivered the following:
• Ecosystem framework conditions mapped and analysed and a capacity-building strategy and implementation plan established for building a more enabling environment for SME finance in selected European countries.
• A cross-European information architecture launched online with materials, resources and online tools for the capacity building and matching of innovative SMEs to alternative finance schemes and their providers.
• A newly created network of hubs which connects actors already active in the financial ecosystem of the target countries (and beyond), providing equal access to knowledge, capacity and partnerships in support of provision and absorption of alternative forms of financing for innovative SMEs across the EU.
• Impact of the project implementation monitored, providing evidence-based insights to the adaption of the suggested hub concept and building the sustainability of the scheme in the light of the 2-year experience.
WP1 Project management – The main focus was on administrative and financial management, quality and risk management, and Advisory Board engagement. In the second period, three more deliverables were submitted, two amendments made to the DoA and more than 12 meetings held with the consortium and the Advisory Board.
WP2 Capacity-building strategy – The main objective in the second project period was to deliver an updated capacity-building strategy and implementation plan adapted according to stakeholder feedback received from the Advisory Board and event participants. Results include two deliverables: D2.6 a future outlook on fintech solutions and scenarios for alternative finance in the upcoming years, and D2.5 the adapted Altfinator capacity-building strategy with updated plans for national implementation.
WP3 Resources and tools – In this period, the web platform was updated with training materials and newsletters, an interactive web documentary about Altfinator resources and the matchmaking tool was launched with references to more than 500 AF providers and engaging over 250 interested parties. The previously created materials were updated and promoted via partners' channels. the highlight of WP3 was the submission of D3.4 White paper on alternative finance.
WP4 SME engagement and capacity-building activities - This work package was focused entirely on organizing events and activating stakeholders via webinars, workshops and roundtables. For this, the 2nd international workshop was held in The Netherlands, three additional workshops held in Slovakia in cooperation with the local Fintech Association, two editions of MOOCs were launched and recorded (with approx. 1700 participants), and 9+ national events were held in Ukraine, Romania, Italy, Hungary, Lithuania, Spain and Portugal. Results include the delivery of 4 reports on capacity-building activities and MOOCs.
WP5 Impact monitoring and sustainability - WP5 was entirely focused on ensuring the sustainability of the project and collecting feedback about activities executed in the project. Results of this WP are gathered in 3 deliverables: two impact monitoring reports and the Altfinator exploitation plan. Highlights include the development of the Altfinator hub concept and the soft kickoff of the hub network.
WP 6 Communication and dissemination – The aim of this WP in the second period was to ensure widest dissemination of information concerning the project activities, knowledge emerged and results produced to a range of stakeholders on a European level with the support of an updated dissemination strategy (adapted according to the learnings of the first year and the mid-term review). In addition to the day-to-day activities supporting project implementation, a final event was held as a part of this WP with specific reports delivered on all communication activities.
Within May 2018 and April 2020, Altfinator delivered the following:
• Ecosystem framework conditions mapped and analysed and a capacity-building strategy and implementation plan established for building a more enabling environment for SME finance in selected European countries.
• A cross-European information architecture launched online with materials, resources and online tools for the capacity building and matching of innovative SMEs to alternative finance schemes and their providers.
• A newly created network of hubs which connects actors already active in the financial ecosystem of the target countries (and beyond), providing equal access to knowledge, capacity and partnerships in support of provision and absorption of alternative forms of financing for innovative SMEs across the EU.
• Impact of the project implementation monitored, providing evidence-based insights to the adaption of the suggested hub concept and building the sustainability of the scheme in the light of the 2-year experience.
The expected impacts generated from previously mentioned Altfinator activities are:
• Increased use of alternative forms of financing by innovative SMEs.
• Emergence and growth of alternative finance options available to innovative SMEs in Member States and Associated Countries where such options are less available or developed at present.
• More cooperation between different suppliers of finance in order to crowd in existing EU, national and regional financing structures targeting innovative SMEs.
• Replication in Member States and Associated Countries of successful approaches to encouraging the take-up of alternative finance by innovative SMEs.
The real long-term impact on a country’s and European economic performance can be perceived when the innovative SMEs scale and expand their operations. Altfinator intends to create the conditions for SMEs´ expansion by addressing the financing gap.
• Increased use of alternative forms of financing by innovative SMEs.
• Emergence and growth of alternative finance options available to innovative SMEs in Member States and Associated Countries where such options are less available or developed at present.
• More cooperation between different suppliers of finance in order to crowd in existing EU, national and regional financing structures targeting innovative SMEs.
• Replication in Member States and Associated Countries of successful approaches to encouraging the take-up of alternative finance by innovative SMEs.
The real long-term impact on a country’s and European economic performance can be perceived when the innovative SMEs scale and expand their operations. Altfinator intends to create the conditions for SMEs´ expansion by addressing the financing gap.