While the startup ecosystem in Slovenia is still evolving, one institution has been quietly powering its development for decades, SID bank.
As Slovenia’s development and export bank, SID bank’s assignment is to address market gaps, support development, build ecosystems and strengthen the Slovenian capital market. Especially SID bank, dedicated to supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through debt and equity financing as well as insurance.
Financing that moves businesses forward
For many SMEs, securing the right financing at the right time can make all the difference between stalling and scaling.
SID bank offers:
🔹 Financing – Long-term loans for business growth, internationalization, technological development, R&D, environmental and energy projects, and infrastructure investments.
🔹 Equity Financing – Capital investments for early-stage companies, growing businesses, and family business succession.
🔹 Insurance – Export credit insurance and outbound investment insurance to reduce business risks and ensure stable operations for Slovenian exporters and investors.
Backing deep tech innovation
SID bank plays an important role in innovation, as it supports technology transfer. Together with the Croatian development bank HBOR and the European Investment Fund (EIF), SID bank is one of the cornerstone investors in the Vesna Deep Tech Venture Fund; the first fund of its kind in Slovenia and Croatia.
With €49 million AUM (Assets Under Management), Vesna Fund will support projects emerging from universities and research institutions, helping researchers to protect intellectual property and to bring their ideas to market. The fund focuses on robotics, digital solutions, advanced materials, AI, and cybersecurity; key technologies shaping the future of deep tech innovation in the region.
In the future, SID bank plans to further strengthen its role in equity and quasi-equity financing, supporting Slovenian companies in growth stages as well as international expansion. In 2025 SID bank plans to operate a new subsidiary company for equity financing, offering even stronger support for innovative projects.
Podim might be the perfect place to find out more about how you can align and meet their representatives over a chat or a pre-scheduled meeting in the Deal Room.
