FINNO 2026 – EEN Access to Finance Forum

📍 Jahorina, Hotel Vučko, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina

🗓 17–19 March 2026

🌍 Working language: English

DAY 1 – Tuesday, 17 March 2026

Setting the Scene: Regional Challenges & EEN Coordination

Afternoon arrivals

14:00 – 17:00 Arrival of participants & hotel check-in

17:00 – 18:30 | Warm-up EEN Panel (Open Session)- What Is Missing in the Regional Access to Finance Ecosystem?

Moderator: Bojan Ćudić

Format: Interactive panel + open discussion

Audience: EEN partners, financial institutions, selected SMEs

Focus:

• Key gaps in SME access to finance in the region

• Fragmentation of instruments and information

• Role of intermediaries and trusted networks

Panellists (indicative):

• EEN representatives (region)

• Financial institution / development bank

• SME / scale-up representative

➡️ This session sets the narrative for the entire Forum.

20:00 – 21:00 | Informal Networking Dinner

(included in accommodation package)

Parallel closed meeting

19:00 – 20:00 | EEN Coordinators Meeting (Closed Session)

• Strategic coordination

• Role of EEN in Access to Finance (regional perspective)

• Alignment for Day 2 & Day 3 messages

DAY 2 – Wednesday, 18 March 2026

FINNO 2026 – Flagship Forum Day

09:00 – 10:00 | Registration & Networking Coffee

10:00 – 10:20 | Opening Remarks

• Welcome address

• Objectives of FINNO 2026

• Why Access to Finance, why now, why regional

1_0:20 – 11:05 | Keynote Address_

European Perspective on SME & Innovation Finance

Speaker: EU / European financial institution representative

EEN Slovenia (Matej Rus)

Focus:

• EU financial architecture for SMEs

• Blended finance, guarantees, innovation funding

• Opportunities for the Western Balkans & CEE

11:05 – 12:15 | Panel 1- Access to Finance: Instruments Available for SMEs Today

Moderator: Jovana Radlović

Focus:

• Loans, guarantees, blended finance

• What is really accessible for SMEs

• How SMEs can approach financial institutions

Panellists (indicative):

• EBRD

• European Investment Fund / EIB Group

• World Bank / Development finance

• National development bank / agency

12:15 – 12:35 | Coffee Break & B2B B2F Meetings

12:35 – 13:45 | Panel 2 - Innovation & Growth Finance: From Idea to Scale

Moderator: Siniša Marčić

Focus:

• EIT opportunities

• Innovation-driven funding

• Scale-up and internationalisation finance

Panellists:

• Business angels

• VC/PE funds

• EIT Community representative(s)

• Innovation finance programme

• Scale-up / innovation support organisation

13:45 – 15:00 | Networking Lunch

15:00 – 16:30 | Workshops / Clinics

15:00 – 16:30 Workshop A – Horizon Europe & Innovation Funding

Moderator: Vladimir Pandurov, Ane Sindik & team

• Horizon Europe opportunities related to finance & innovation

• Synergies between grants and financial instruments

• Practical tips for SMEs and intermediaries

15:00 – 16:30 Workshop B – Investment Readiness for SMEs

Moderator: Jana Blažević-Marčelja

• What banks and investors expect

• Financial maturity and documentation

• Typical mistakes and success factors

➡️ Practical, hands-on sessions.

15:00 – 17:00 | B2B & B2F Meetings (Parallel)

• SMEs ↔ financial institutions

• SMEs ↔ EEN partners

• SMEs ↔ support organisations

(organised via B2Match platform)

18:30 – 21:30 | Networking Dinner & Social Programme

• Informal networking

• Light live music / DJ

(included in accommodation package)

DAY 3 – Thursday, 19 March 2026

Conclusions & the Future Role of EEN

09:00 – 10:00 | Final Roundtable

EEN as a Gateway to European Financial Institutions

Moderator: Ivana Tomašević

Focus:

• How EEN can act as a trusted intermediary

• Supporting SMEs in navigating complex finance instruments

• Regional cooperation and next steps

10:00 – 11:30 | Partners’ Corner

From Use Case to Implementation: Digital Solutions for Industry – Access to Finance Perspective

Lead partner: UNIDO

Moderator: Aleksandar Filiposki

Focus:

• Practical industrial digitalisation use cases from the region

• Translating digital solutions into bankable and investable projects

• Financing pathways for implementing digital and Industry 4.0 solutions in SMEs

• Role of international organisations in de-risking and scaling digital investments

Contribution:

• RCC: Siniša Maričić

11:30 – 12:00 | Closing Remarks

• Key takeaways from FINNO 2026

• Follow-up actions

• Outlook: future FINNO & Access to Finance initiatives

12:00 | Departure of participants