03/07/2017 (Agence Europe) – On Monday 3 July, the EIB Group, which comprises the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF), announced its decision to get involved in the French platform for lending to SMEs, Lendix. This platform will help to boost crowdfunding for European companies through a co-financing fund topped up to a level of €18.5 million by the EIB Group and with a maximum capacity of €90 million. Lendix, which will operate in France, Spain and Italy, allows SMEs to borrow directly from individual and institutional lenders, without having to go through banks. The French Minister for the Economy and Finance, Bruno Le Maire, who was present for the official announcement in Lendix's Paris offices, welcomed the initiative, describing it as “the very symbol of a Europe” that invests. (MF)