The Gengenbach Campus of Offenburg University of Applied Sciences was thus in line with the metropolises of Geneva, Lyon, Mumbai and New York. The “SME Competitiveness Outlook 2019” of the International Trade Center (ITC) was presented at all these locations on the United Nations Small, Small and Medium Enterprises Day (MSME-Day). The ITC is a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization based in Geneva and supports small export companies in developing countries and emerging economies. At the invitation of Professor Andreas Klasen, head of the Institute for Trade and Innovation (IfTI) at Offenburg University of Applied Sciences, ITC project manager Dr. Julia Spies presented the results of the outlook to regional industry representatives and students. The main focus was on how small and medium-sized enterprises can contribute to the achievement of the sustainable development goals set by the United Nations. And the necessary investments also played a major role. After all, the motto of this year’s outlook is “Big money for small business.”

In a subsequent panel discussion, Dr. Julia Spies, Helmut Becker, CEO of Sparkasse Offenburg/Ortenau, and Dr. Frank Stetter, Managing Director of Brewery Baden, discussed the importance of investments for small and medium-sized companies in the region. On the one hand, Dr. Frank Stetter pointed out the difficulties that small and medium-sized enterprises have in obtaining credit. “On the other hand, many of these businesses in Ortenau have good equity”, Stetter continues. And in the event that financial support is needed, Helmut Becker presented a completely new cross-border offer. “Thanks to a trinational cooperation between the Sparkasse Offenburg/Ortenau, the French Caisse d’Epargne in Strasbourg and the Italian Sparkasse Südtirol, we were able to grant a cross-border loan for the first time”, says Becker. At the end of the discussion, it was again about investment in developing countries. “Germany is lagging behind in terms of development aid and budget investment”, explained Dr. Julia Spies. And even private investors often shied away from the risk.

Afterwards, the audience had the opportunity to ask questions and discuss financing topics with the experts in personal conversations.