Access to Finance
Access to finance for SMEs is crucial not only for their development, but also for the development of the entire Serbian economy. Our team of experts has proven track record in financial markets conducting in-debth training with individual companies, establishing the dialogue wiith regulators of the domestic financial market and attracting investors.
With the support of the USAID Business Enabling Project our company made several analysis during 2017 on the topic of access to finance for small and medium enterprises in Serbia. In these analyzes, it was concluded that there is a significant financing gap for SMEs. The key recommendations are to improve knowledge on the SME side about all financing alternatives, improving corporate governance and introducing a financial partner in the ownership structure of the company. In addition to numerous conferences and seminars on this topic, WM Equity Partners has also organized numerous trainings for SMEs on alternative sources for financing their businesses.
How to access more favorable and grant funds for small and medium enterprises?
WM Equity Partners, with the support of USAID Competitive Economy Project and other key participants organizes five one-day workshops in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Uzice, Leskovac and Zajecar, in the period from 03/15/2018 to 15/04/2018. The goal is to bring together over 100 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) involved in production and processing of fruits and vegetables.
Public-private dialogue on equity-based financing for SME’s in Serbia
Serbian Chamber of Commerce
September 14th, Belgrade
Although official data indicate that the Serbian economy is composed of over 97,000 small and medium-sized companies, as well as that their participation in the overall Serbian economic activity and employment is very important, these companies are still faced with a significant lack of external financing sources, which are currently primary structured in the form of loans and other similar products of commercial banks, while other sources of external financing are still mostly underdeveloped.
For innovative companies in the early stage of development banking financing sources are particularly inaccessible.
In order to encourage public dialogue and support creation of diversified financing structure, tailored to each stage of business development of domestic companies, WM Equity Partners, on the 14th September 2017, with the support of USAID Business Enabling Project, organized a public discussion related to that issue.
Public discussion was very successful and brought together over 95 participants, of which 33% were representatives of small and medium-sized companies in Serbia, interested in collecting new information and knowledge on this topic.
Investing
In cooperation with partner company FIMA Invest ad Belgrade, our consulting company participates in equity investments in local and regional companies.
The asset management company FIMA Invest ad Belgrade was incorporated in 2007. FIMA currently manages two investment funds FIMA ProActive and FIMA SEE Activist.
FIMA ProActive is an open end growth oriented investment fund which invests money of its investors on the domestic and regional stock exchange markets. The Fund has been active since 2007 and has a principal aim to achieve a high return on invested capital and to increase the value of the assets of Fond by realization of capital gains, dividends, interest and other income.
FIMA SEE Activist is a closed end investment fund, established in 2008, whose shares are listed on the Belgrade Stock Exchange and in the mid 2015 the Fund become a private equity fund with an investment focus on local companies that are not listed on the stock exchange. The main investment objective of the Fund is to achieve a high return on invested capital and to increase the value of the assets of the Fund by investing in shares of limited liability companies that have significant potential for business growth. In addition to the resources which the Fund provides to prospective companies, the Fund provides significant value through active implementation of the process of improving corporative governance, which aims to improve the management and control function in the company and to create a solid basis for further growth.