Building on Years of Collaboration, AECM Guarantors Europe Joins the SME Finance Forum as an Affiliate
AECM Guarantors Europe, the European network of guarantee institutions supporting access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises, has joined the SME Finance Forum as an affiliate, formalizing and strengthening a longstanding relationship between the two organizations. Over the years, AECM and the SME Finance Forum have collaborated through knowledge-sharing initiatives, events, and exchanges focused on expanding access to finance for SMEs and strengthening financial ecosystems.
Through this affiliation, the two organizations will build on their established partnership and deepen collaboration between the European guarantee community and the Forum’s global network of financial institutions, fintechs, development organizations, and market enablers. The affiliation will further support joint learning, knowledge exchange, and the sharing of practical experiences on risk-sharing mechanisms, credit guarantees, and SME finance innovation.
“We are delighted to deepen our longstanding collaboration with AECM through its affiliation with the SME Finance Forum. Over the years, we have shared a common commitment to helping SMEs access the finance they need to grow and prosper. By bringing together AECM’s extensive expertise in credit guarantees and our global network of SME finance practitioners, we can further strengthen knowledge exchange and promote effective solutions for small businesses around the world,” said Qamar Saleem, Head of SME Finance Forum.
The affiliation reflects a shared commitment to strengthening access to finance for SMEs through collaboration, innovation, and knowledge exchange. Both organizations contribute to industry dialogue on risk-sharing solutions and the role of guarantees in supporting sustainable SME growth.
“The partnership with the SME Finance Forum provides us with opportunities to exchange best practices and participate in forum events, which will help us better achieve our mission of providing loan guarantees for SMEs with economically sound projects but insufficient bankable collateral,” said Guy Selbherr, President of AECM.
SME Finance Forum: Innovation & Partnership for MSME Growth
The SME Finance Forum, backed by G20 and IFC/World Bank, is the leading global network of 250+ members and affiliates operating in 190 countries. The network comprises SME-focused institutions providing and enabling finance and services, including banks, non-bank financial institutions, fintechs, payment platforms, development institutions, credit guarantee companies, insurers, investment funds, supply-chain players, banking and SME associations, policy advocates, regulators, academia, consulting firms, and knowledge aggregators.
Members, affiliates, and associated stakeholders benefit from learning and replicating best practices from around the world, innovating new products for growth, accessing risk mitigation tools, establishing partnerships, attracting investors, and gaining recognition among a global peer group of innovators.
Our activities include exclusive member offerings such as innovation hubs, solutions clinics, peer networks, study tours, specialized tools and training, member repositories, and partnered initiatives, as well as public resources including a library of more than 200 publications, over 500 videos, webinars, newsletters, training programs, annual awards, and flagship events.
Discover the SME Finance Forum members and affiliates:
https://www.smefinanceforum.org/page/our-members
https://www.smefinanceforum.org/page/partner-with-us
About AECM Guarantors Europe
AECM Guarantors Europe brings together guarantee institutions from across Europe and beyond. It represents their interests in European policy discussions, connects expertise across the network, and provides data and insights on SME finance. By facilitating collaboration and knowledge exchange, AECM helps strengthen the guarantee ecosystem.
Guarantees play a crucial role in enabling SMEs to access finance when collateral or risk appetite would otherwise limit lending. By supporting guarantee institutions, AECM helps create opportunities for entrepreneurs to start businesses, invest, innovate, and grow. A strong guarantee ecosystem contributes to economic resilience, job creation, and sustainable growth across Europe.
AECM’s network includes 51 institutions across 33 countries in Europe, representing more than 170 guarantee institutions plus 7 affiliate members who are either guarantee institutions outside of Europe or supranational organizations like the SME Finance Forum. Together, they support more than 6 million SMEs and account for €166 billion in outstanding guarantees.
Learn more:
Website: aecm.eu