Alter5

Alter5's ALTO programme · European Investment Fund InvestEU guarantee

Financing for companies with a European Investment Fund guarantee

ALTO programme: up to €15m per company, backed by a European Investment Fund guarantee, for SMEs and small mid-caps in the European Union, on transactions with a sustainability component.

Supported by
Fondo Europeo de InversionesInvestEU
Maximum amount per company
€15m

Maximum amount per company

European Union member states
27

European Union member states

Two types of eligible financing

A transaction can be included in the programme on the strength of the company's profile or of the investment being financed.

Company eligibility

  • A green award, grant or financing from the European Union or a national body in the past 3 years
  • A patent, utility model, design or registered software in clean technology
  • EU Ecolabel or certified organic operator status
  • At least 90% of revenue from green activities
  • A measured reduction of 20% or more in emissions, energy, water or pollutants
  • A current ISO 50001 certification or EMAS registration

Investment eligibility

Climate change mitigation categories under the programme:

  • Renewable energy and storage
  • Energy-efficient commercial buildings
  • Energy-efficient residential buildings
  • Industrial energy efficiency
  • Zero and low-emission mobility
  • Green ICT and data centres

Where a threshold is not known, ‘Not known’ is accepted as an answer.

EIF eligibility check

Financing for investment, growth and acquisitions

The sustainability criterion is the condition of access, not the sole use of the funds: once either route is met, the proceeds may be used for new machinery, the acquisition of a company or the expansion of a plant, among other purposes.

  • Asset investment (capex)
  • Acquisitions and business transfers
  • Working capital
  • Performance guarantees

Exclusions

  • Equipment running on fossil fuels
  • Infrastructure mainly intended for the transport or storage of fossil fuels
  • Landfill and waste incineration
  • Hazardous waste
  • Ancillary components unrelated to eligible manufacturing
  • Companies with 500 employees or more, and companies established outside the European Union

EIF guarantee

The European Investment Fund guarantees the lender's risk on loans under the programme. Inclusion depends on due diligence and on the EIF's criteria.

The guarantee reduces the risk borne by the lender.

Stages of the process

  1. 1

    Description of the transaction

    One question per screen about the company and the financing it requires.

  2. 2

    First response

    Alter5 reviews the enquiry and sets out the next steps or the documentation required.

  3. 3

    Documentation preparation

    Where the initial review indicates the transaction can be put forward under the programme, Alter5 prepares the documentation and presents it to the programme's lenders.

  4. 4

    Analysis and signing

    The lender analyses the transaction and decides on it. If the transaction is also eligible, it is included in the EIF programme.

EIF eligibility check

Alter5 charges a success fee only if the transaction closes, as set out in the mandate.

Accredited intermediary under InvestEU

Alter5 is an accredited intermediary under InvestEU and has signed a €200m programme with the EIF for SMEs and midcaps, focused on investment linked to sustainability, the energy transition and energy efficiency.

Frequently asked questions

Eligibility check

An initial view of whether the company or the investment is eligible.

EIF eligibility check

Preliminary analysis.

Fondo Europeo de InversionesInvestEU

This financing is supported by the European Union under the InvestEU Fund.

ALTO is a trade name of Alter5 and not of the European Investment Fund or the European Union. Alter5 acts as a financial intermediary, not as a lender. Financing is subject to availability, eligibility, the lender's analysis and the EIF's criteria. The guarantee does not release the borrower from its payment obligations.