The fi‑compass Blog

Stories of how financial instruments have an impact on the ground

Hands holding a green liquid
12 December 2022
Spiripau: from flowers to algae

With the financial backing of a Friuli-Venezia Giulia EAFRD financial instrument loan, the Paulitti family were able to turn their floriculture company into a successful organic spirulina business.

EAFRD
Italy
showcase_teaser_image
10 December 2023
Let’s get this show on the road!

After a brief hiatus, the fi-compass team is happy to announce the return of the Showcase Award 2023! Could you be the winner waiting in the wings to raise the Showcase trophy high at our upcoming FI Campus event?

ESIF
All EU Member States
Streets of London
2 December 2022
MEEF helps black cabs convert to electric

Thanks to the Mayor of London’s Energy Efficiency Fund (‘MEEF‘), which uses European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) financial instruments (FIs), Colts Cabs Limited (‘Colts’), London’s largest independent licensed taxi rental company, has benefitted from a multi-million Euro loan to fund 30 electric black cabs through an innovative and flexible pay-per-mile mechanism.

ERDF
United Kingdom
Accessible geothermal energy thanks to ESIF financing
3 September 2022
Accessible geothermal energy thanks to ESIF financing

How do we replace fossil fuels? That is the big question. While intermittent renewables like solar and wind, when paired with batteries, are a popular fossil fuel alternative, the energy from the Earth's super-heated core is still largely untapped.

ERDF
Slovakia
Construction work
26 August 2022
AL VIA – an ESIF guarantee instrument for smart SMEs in Lombardy

Founded in 2017, the Italian region of Lombardy’s AL VIA programme has taken important steps to help revive the regional economy in the wake of the financial crisis.

ERDF
Italy
The CIDAS Residence Service in Ferrara
15 August 2022
ERDF financial instruments help Italian social cooperative cut bills

Support from an ERDF financial instrument has helped an Italian social cooperative in Emilia-Romagna cut its heating bills by 25% in a year, allowing it to spend more energy on people.

ERDF
Italy
Grapes from a family vineyard in Greece
07 July 2022
EAFRD Guarantee Fund: a helping hand for Greek farmers

Thanks to an EAFRD Guarantee loan, Jason Ligas, a young wine producer based in Pella-Giannitsa, Northern Greece, could kick start his permaculture project and strengthen existing family vineyards.

The Greek EAFRD Guarantee Fund 2014-2020 set up with EUR 80 million from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and EUR 20 million from the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI, Juncker Plan), has already helped hundreds of farmers in Greece to implement green projects while modernising their farms.

EAFRD
Greece
A person cooking
07 July 2022
Aurora: so that every person belongs

To fight the social and working exclusion of people with disabilities, Carlo Pepe, a Pescara born teacher created the social cooperative, Aurora "Valori & Sapori”.

Backed by a EUR 25 000 loan from the ESF Microcredit Fund Abruzzo, the social enterprise trains young adults affected by Trisomy 21 or autism in catering activities, preparing them for a stable job at the end of their studies.

ESF/ESF+
Italy
Hydrogen cover
13 June 2022
Low-energy hydrogen compressor sees the day thanks to EquiFund in Greece

Hydrogen power has been on the market for years but in an extremely limited capacity. The climate and geopolitical challenges of today’s world illustrate the urgency of developing hydrogen as a technology and support for this have never been stronger.

ERDF
Greece
IT solutions
11 April 2022
Innovative IT solutions for better business decisions

The ESSOR PME financial instrument featured at FI Campus 2019, has helped support the innovative local business, Datarocks.

Set up in 2014 in Sainte Marie, La Réunion, Datarocks develops and sells innovative IT solutions to help businesses transpose their raw data into interactive ergonomic dashboards. Thanks to a EUR 451 000 equity investment from the ESIF financial instrument, ESSOR PME La Réunion, the company has been able to grow and attract international customers such as Nokia or Thales.

ERDF
France
Zotcar
7 April 2022
The leading private car rental in La Réunion

In June 2019, the start-up benefitted from EUR 540 650 equity investment from Essor PME La Réunion, an ERDF financial instrument set up by the La Réunion region. The company will use the investment to strengthen its R&D and operational team, acquire additional equipment, and replicate its economic model outside La Réunion.

ERDF
France
Matooma sim card
4 April 2022
A success story in the field of SIM card connectivity
Backed by an equity investment from the ERDF financial instrument, SAS JEREMIE Languedoc-Roussillon (LR) and its fund manager Soridec, ranks today among the fastest growing companies in the field of SIM card connectivity.
ERDF
France