EIB and Hypo Tirol Bank provide €100 million for Austrian businesses

• Financing will support investments by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), mid-caps and public-sector entities.
• A fifth of the EIB financing will back green investments, including energy-efficient buildings and renovation projects
• Strong focus on SMEs and mid-caps to improve access to long-term financing.

Austrian businesses will benefit from additional support for investments in growth, innovation and sustainability. The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Hypo Tirol Bank are making a total of €100 million available to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), mid-caps and public sector entities.

The EIB is providing a €50 million loan to Hypo Tirol Bank, which the bank will match with an additional €50 million of its own financing. The funds will be on-lent by Hypo Tirol Bank to support projects that strengthen innovation, competitiveness and sustainable growth. For Hypo Tirol Bank, a particular priority is financing investments that reinforce regional value creation and support economic development in its core market of Tyrol.

At least 60% of the EIB loan will be allocated to SMEs, which form one of the key pillars of Austria's economy. In addition, 20% of the EIB financing will be earmarked for climate action projects, including investments to improve the energy efficiency of buildings. Eligible investments include projects in tourism, hospitality and regional medium-sized businesses.

Against the backdrop of higher financing costs and tighter lending standards, the programme will improve access to long-term capital. Between 2026 and 2030, the EIB funds will be made available on favourable terms, offering lower interest rates and longer maturities than those generally available on the market. The financing is primarily targeted at SMEs and mid-caps, which rely heavily on bank lending to finance their investments.

"SMEs and mid-caps are the backbone of Austria's economy and create jobs, drive innovation and strengthen Europe's competitiveness," said EIB Vice-President Karl Nehammer. "Access to financing is essential to enable businesses to invest and grow."

"Tyrol's economic strength is built by the businesses that operate across the region. Today, many companies face the challenge of making essential investments in a demanding economic environment. With the EIB as our partner, we can offer businesses attractive long-term financing solutions. This creates the room needed for investments that strengthen competitiveness, safeguard jobs and generate growth, value creation and prosperity throughout the region," said Andreas Stadler, Member of the Management Board of Hypo Tirol Bank.

The financing agreement was signed today on the sidelines of the Salzburg Summit, a high-level economic conference held in Salzburg.

The new agreement builds on the long-standing partnership between the EIB and Hypo Tirol Bank. Over the past two decades, the two institutions have worked together on several occasions to improve Austrian SMEs' and mid-caps' access to long-term financing.

Background information

EIB Group

The European Investment Bank (ElB) Group is the financing arm of the European Union, owned by the 27 Member States, and one of the largest multilateral development banks in the world. In 2025, the EIB Group signed €100 billion of new financing and advisory services for over 870 high-impact projects in eight core priorities that support EU policy objectives: climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, territorial cohesion, agriculture and the bioeconomy, social infrastructure, strong global partnerships and the savings and investment union. Beyond long-term loans for large infrastructure, the EIB Group crowds in private investment for high-risk innovative projects and businesses, with a growing role in Europe's markets for venture debt, venture capital, guarantees and securitisations.

The European Investment Fund (EIF) is the subsidiary of the EIB Group specialised in providing guarantees, securitisation and equity to improve access to finance for small and medium-sized businesses and startups across Europe. Acting as an anchor investor, through its extensive network of partnering banks and investment funds, the EIF mobilises private investment and nurtures the ecosystem of venture capital funds to support innovative European entrepreneurs.

With the support of all 27 EU governments, the EIF has joined forces with institutional investors in a pan-European alliance to mobilise up to €80 billion for investment into innovative companies scaling up to become global leaders. The joint effort will expand the size and scope of the highly successful European Tech Champions Initiative, which has helped create 15 European mega-funds and scale 45 companies, including 12 unicorns, since being established three years ago.

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Hypo Tirol Bank AG

Hypo Tirol Bank AG is the regional bank of the Austrian federal state of Tyrol, providing financing, investment and wealth planning services to private individuals, businesses, self-employed professionals and public sector institutions. The diverse needs of its customers are reflected in its specialised advisory and competence centres. Private customers are served through the bank's regional branches, while dedicated competence centres provide tailored expertise to businesses of all sizes, self-employed professionals, public sector institutions and high-net-worth clients.

As an independent universal bank with a strong regional focus, Hypo Tirol Bank combines personalised advice with digital services and plays an important role in supporting economic