Why this program?

• Despite some improvements, small businesses in Central and Eastern Europe continue to face significant financing challenges, with structural issues limiting access to both debt and equity financing.
• 6.8 million small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) operate in Central and Eastern Europe, the majority of which are underserved by traditional financial institutions.
• In 2024, the percentage of SMEs reporting loan rejections remained high, indicating ongoing difficulties in accessing traditional bank financing.

Embedded finance solutions can increase SME financial inclusion by up to 20%, according to industry benchmarks.

Program overview

The program aims to unlock access to finance for small businesses in Romania by developing and deploying an AI-powered credit scoring widget, embedded into relevant financial and business platforms that small businesses use daily.

This solution leverages alternative data to provide real-time creditworthiness assessments, enabling small businesses to secure working capital faster and more efficiently. The goal is to reduce the time and cost of accessing credit and contribute to a more inclusive digital economy in Romania and Europe.

Building on Fagura’s existing mobile-based crowdlending infrastructure, the program aims to reach small businesses to try the widget and explore credit options. This effort will lay the groundwork for expanding Fagura’s reach to other European markets and supporting its broader vision of launching a digital banking application.

In addition to product development, Mastercard Strive will support Fagura to reach more small businesses and raise their awareness of the solution to drive greater adoption and engage more platforms and financial stakeholders.

About Fagura

Fagura is a fintech company building a digital financial infrastructure that empowers individuals and small businesses to access capital, invest with confidence, and grow sustainably. Launched as a regulated peer-to-peer lending platform, Fagura connects retail and institutional investors with creditworthy borrowers, using technology to streamline the lending process and enhance financial inclusion.

Since its launch, Fagura has intermediated over €11 million in Moldova and Romania, helping individuals and entrepreneurs access capital through AI-driven credit scoring. As part of its mission to build a Digital Bank for the Community, Fagura is expanding into embedded finance, open banking, and plans to launch a fully digital banking app.