AikLeasing, owned by AikBank, has secured a €40 million financing package from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to expand leasing finance for Serbian small and medium-sized enterprises. The package includes €30 million for SME leasing and a further €10 million through the SME Go Green programme. At least 30% of investments financed under the main facility are expected to meet the EBRD’s Green Economy Transition criteria, with additional emphasis on businesses located outside Belgrade.
Funding targets equipment and green investment
The green component will finance projects involving energy efficiency, resource efficiency, renewable energy and greener agribusiness supply chains. Leasing provides financing directly linked to assets including production machinery, commercial vehicles, agricultural equipment and energy-efficiency technologies.
For SMEs, this can connect financing more directly with capital expenditure on expanding production capacity and modernising operations. The new facility comes as leasing becomes a more significant source of productive investment finance in Serbia, where bank lending remains the dominant corporate financing channel.
EBRD expands support across leasing sector
The EBRD is also increasing its involvement in Serbia’s wider leasing market. NLB Lease&Go Serbia has separately received approval for financing facilities of up to €30 million covering SME, green and outcomes-linked financing. The two transactions increase the role of international development financing through leasing companies alongside traditional banks and expand the number of institutions competing for SME investment business. This could provide additional financing options for companies seeking equipment without relying entirely on conventional secured borrowing.
Financing supports manufacturing investment
The additional financing is relevant to Serbian manufacturers facing higher investment requirements. Export-oriented businesses face pressure from EU customers, lenders and supply-chain partners to improve energy efficiency, automate production and reduce carbon intensity. For many SMEs, the constraint is the upfront cost of acquiring the necessary machinery and technology. Development-backed leasing provides financing targeted at those investments.
The EBRD facilities also place emphasis on businesses outside Belgrade, where corporate finance, services and investment activity remain concentrated compared with the capital and larger industrial centres. Directing more asset finance toward companies outside Belgrade could support smaller industrial clusters without relying on large foreign direct investment projects.
Leasing companies compete for corporate investment
For AikLeasing, the EBRD financing expands its capacity to compete for corporate customers as leasing extends beyond its traditional concentration on passenger vehicles and transport assets. The broader market impact will depend on whether the facilities generate additional capital expenditure rather than financing purchases that companies would have undertaken regardless. Additional investment could increase the role of leasing in financing manufacturing, logistics, agriculture and energy-intensive industries, with the €40 million AikLeasing package adding to the pool of capital available for SME equipment and technology investment.
