Editing European Investment Bank (section)

=== European Investment Fund ===
{{main|European Investment Fund}}
The [[European Investment Fund]] (EIF) is the European Union's venture capital arm. It also provides guarantees for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).<ref>{{Cite web|title=European Investment Fund|url=https://www.eif.org/|access-date=2021-04-28|website=www.eif.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=European Investment Fund (EIF)|url=https://evpa.eu.com/members/european-investment-fund-eif|access-date=2021-04-28|website=EVPA|language=en-US}}</ref> In 2018, 25 million SMEs in the EU made up 99.8% of all non-financial enterprises, employed around 97.7 million people (66.6% of total employment) and generated 56.4% of total added value (EUR 4,357bn).<ref name="auto">{{Cite book|title=EIB Group Corporate Governance Report 2019|url=https://www.eib.org/en/publications/2019-eib-group-corporate-governance-report|access-date=2021-04-28|date=12 October 2020|publisher=European Investment Bank |language=en}}</ref>

The EIF supports businesses through all their stages of development; pre-seed, seed-, and start-up-phase (technology transfer, business angel financing, microfinance, early stage venture capital) to the growth and development segment (formal venture capital funds, mezzanine funds, portfolio guarantees/credit enhancement).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Homepage {{!}} European Investment Bank|url=https://www.eib.org/en/|access-date=2021-04-28|website=EIB.org|language=en}}</ref>

The European Investment Bank is the EIF's majority shareholder, holding 62% of shares.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Frequently Asked Questions|url=https://www.eib.org/en/infocentre/faq/index.htm#who-are-the-owners-of-the-eib-group|access-date=2021-04-28|website=EIB.org|language=en}}</ref> The other main shareholder is the European Commission, which holds 29% of shares. The EIF operates on the basis of specific mandates from the European Council and the European Parliament, from the European Commission or other public authorities, from the European Investment Bank or at its own risk.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Shareholders|url=https://www.eif.org/who_we_are/shareholder/index.htm|access-date=2021-04-28|website=www.eif.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Register of Shareholders at 26.04.2021|url=https://www.eif.org/who_we_are/shareholder/register.htm|access-date=2021-04-28|website=www.eif.org}}</ref>