Roadshows and Summits: EIB Group unveils new opportunities in Coimbra and Lisbon

Last week I had the privilege to kick off the InvestEU Roadshow in Lisbon on Friday during a visit to Portugal, which began with a strong Group presence at the Coimbra Start-up Summit.

 I share with you below an article describing the main highlights of these two high-level events:

High-level InvestEU event in Lisbon 

The Vice-President opened the Roadshow alongside the Minister of Finance for Portugal, Fernando Medina and DG ECFIN, Director, Giorgio Chiarion Casoni, outlining how #InvestEU will be rolled-out in Portugal. The Roadshow, focusing on investments for a Green, Digital and Fair Economy, featured sessions on Investment & Advisory support for the public sector and private sector corporates, and zoomed in on the business investment landscape in #Portugal. 

EIB Directors Gilles Badot and Simon Barnes and EIF Chief Investment Officer Alessandro Tappi, along side with high level panellists namely the Secretary of State for Environment and Energy, Ministry of Environment and Climate Action, Jo?o Galamba, together with Isabel Duarte Lima (HCapital) and Rui Ferreira (Portugal Ventures), participated on the several sessions moderated by EIB Senior Loan Officer, Joaquim da Costa Pedroso. The Portuguese Minister of Territorial Cohesion, Ana Abrunhosa, delivered the closing remarks at the event.

InvestEU, the new European flagship programme to support investments in the European Union, provide the EU with crucial long-term funding by leveraging substantial private and public funds in support of a sustainable recovery. It will also help mobilise private investments for the EU's policy priorities, such as the European Green Deal and the digital transition. Ultimately, InvestEU, which builds on the success of the Investment Plan for Europe, the Juncker Plan, is a critical tool to help us face current challenges and invest in the future.

As, Head of the EIB Group’s Lisbon office, Miguel Morgado said: “InvestEU will play in an important role in delivering a lasting impact on the Portuguese economy in the coming years. With an aim to mobilise around EUR 372 billion of public and private investments until 2027 we can continue to boost investment in innovative and green solutions”

InvestEU will provide crucial long-term financing for public and private sector project promoters, to ensure a sustainable recovery and to help to build a green, digital and fair economy.

Coimbra Start-up Summit

During the visit to Portugal, Vice-President also participated in the Coimbra Start-up summit where along with a strong EIF delegation, the Group presented equity financing opportunities for Portuguese companies. The Summit, held in the city, which hosts the picturesque and oldest University in Portugal, gathered over 1,000 attendees, including start-ups and investors.

Vice-President had the opportunity to discuss the importance of the EU #GreenDeal and the support of the European Investment Bank (EIB) and European Investment Fund (EIF) to the #green and #digital transitions.

The morning session featured a fireside chat between Manuel Carvalho from the Portuguese daily, Público and the Vice President, which was followed by presentations and panels participation from a number of EIF and EIB colleagues showcasing the impact of our Group in Portugal.

Oscar Farres; Miguel Alves; Cyril Gouiffès; Maria Inês Lucas, Jo?o Lima da Silva, Minerva Elias Franquesa; Maria José Rodríguez Redaelli

Increased EIB financing for Portugal

In 2021, the EIB Group supported 27 operations in Portugal for a total volume of more than €5.324 billion, an increase of 128% compared to 2020. As a percentage of GDP, Portugal was the second-largest beneficiary of EIB Group support in the European Union, and ranked fifth in absolute terms. Portugal is among the main beneficiaries of the European Guarantee Fund, a key part of the European Union's €540 billion package of measures to address the economic difficulties and production slowdowns caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

 European Investment Bank (EIB). European Investment Fund (EIF); European Commission; #InvestEU; #GreenDeal; #Portugal