Aegon’s asset management business is broadening its support for innovative and high growth Dutch small and medium enterprises (SMEs) via an expanded partnership with the European Investment Fund (EIF). Under the new agreement – which builds on a previous arrangement from 2023 – Aegon Asset Management (Aegon AM) will make up to €407 million in financing available to high‑growth Dutch SMEs.
This financing is backed with guarantees from the European Commission under its InvestEU initiative. As a result, Aegon AM can provide third‑party clients with attractive investment opportunities which benefit from EIF backing.
By increasing access to subordinated debt – which can be challenging for SMEs to obtain through traditional lenders – Aegon AM is helping those companies secure the cash‑flow flexibility needed to innovate, expand, and contribute to long‑term economic growth. Aegon AM will target SMEs that support climate action, sustainability, digitalization, and competitiveness.
“The continuation of our partnership with the EIF strengthens our ability to support SMEs and small mid-caps with debt financing,” commented Damiaan Jacobovits de Szeged, CEO of Aegon AM CE. "We are committed to supporting private companies in the Netherlands with debt financing that enables them to realize their growth ambitions, contribute to job creation, innovation and long-term economic growth. We are proud of our partnership with the EIF, which allows us to offer our third-party clients attractive investment opportunities, with a compelling risk/return profile given the EIF guarantees. This collaboration is a core aspect of our strategic focus on Private Debt with Impact.”