Sufficient and affordable access to different sources of finance is crucial to allow SMEs and entrepreneurs to reach their full potential. The 8th edition of the Scoreboard on SME and Entrepreneurship Finance report provides data from 46 countries around the world on debt finance, alternative finance instruments and financing conditions, as well as information on policy initiatives to improve their access to finance.

In 2017, SME bank credit increased at a modest pace in many countries and declined in some others, in the context of broadly positive macroeconomic conditions, improvements in the business environment and accommodative credit conditions. In contrast, volumes were generally up for most other sources of finance relevant for SMEs and entrepreneurs, such as leasing, factoring, online alternative finance, and venture capital investments. At the same time, a growing share of SMEs relied on self-financing for their investment needs and cash flow requirements in 2017.

The thematic chapter of this publication investigates the potential for SMEs to leverage their intangible assets to access external finance, especially debt.