The 9th edition of the Scoreboard on Financing SMEs and Entrepreneurs report provides data from 48 countries around the world on SME lending, alternative finance instruments and financing conditions, as well as information on policy initiatives to improve SME access to finance.

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.

This report monitors SME and entrepreneur access to finance in 37 countries.

The new OECD SME and Entrepreneurship Outlook presents the latest trends in performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and provides a comprehensive overview of business conditions and policy frameworks for SMEs and entrepreneurs. This year’s edition provides comparative evidence on business dynamism, productivity growth, wage gaps and export trends by firm size across OECD countries and emerging economies.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs have been hit hard during the COVID-19 crisis. Policy responses were quick and unprecedented, helping cushion the blow and maintain most SMEs and entrepreneurs afloat. Despite the magnitude of the shock, available data so far point to sustained start-ups creation, no wave of bankruptcies, and an impulse to innovation in most OECD countries.

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.

This edited collection investigates the potential impact of long-term planning and strategic awareness on the ability of SMEs to remain competitive. The authors demonstrate that whether SMEs are able to identify and act upon external forces and factors, or not, is the defining indicator of their likelihood to struggle, survive, or thrive.