Integra Partners, in collaboration with ProCredit Financing Corp, recently concluded a successful SME Finance Conference in the Philippines. The event brought together over 100 participants, including startups, SMEs, lenders, investors, and policymakers, to discuss strategies for SME growth and resilience. The conference featured insightful presentations and discussions on key topics impacting the SME landscape.
Empowering Philippine SMEs: Key Takeaways from the Conference
The conference highlighted the critical role SMEs play in the Philippine economy and addressed the challenges they face in accessing finance and achieving sustainable growth. Speakers shared expertise on leveraging digital transformation, navigating financial inclusion, and building resilience.
A key takeaway was the decreasing trend of SME lending by traditional banks, creating a significant credit gap. Non-bank lenders are poised to fill this gap, providing alternative financing options for SMEs. The conference emphasized the need for scale to achieve lasting impact, requiring increased debt and equity capital for SMEs. Furthermore, greater education and alignment among lenders, SMEs, and policymakers are crucial for fostering a supportive ecosystem.
Open Finance and Digital Transformation for SME Growth
Discussions centered on the transformative potential of Open Finance, QR PH, and payment data in streamlining credit underwriting and provisioning processes. Standardizing bank statement formats in the Philippines emerged as a critical need to improve SME access to finance. The conference underscored the importance of collaboration between FinTechs, traditional financial institutions, and policymakers in creating an enabling environment for SMEs.
Inspiring SME Success Stories
A highlight of the conference was the inspiring story shared by Maryll Acampado, Founder and CEO of iProtect. Acampado detailed her journey of transforming her traditional insurance brokerage firm into a tech-enabled enterprise, showcasing the power of innovation and adaptation for inter-generational SMEs. Her experience served as a testament to the potential of SMEs to thrive in a rapidly evolving economy.
Integra Partners: Committed to SME Development
Integra Partners demonstrated its commitment to driving meaningful change and growth for SMEs in the Philippines through this impactful conference. The event fostered valuable dialogue and collaboration among key stakeholders, paving the way for future initiatives to support the SME sector. Integra Partners looks forward to building on the momentum generated by the conference and hosting future events to further empower Philippine SMEs. The insights shared and connections made at the conference are expected to contribute significantly to the continued growth and resilience of the Philippine SME sector.
