Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs are crucial for tracing new paths to more sustainable and inclusive growth, thanks to their role in developing and diffusing innovation and providing employment. However, they can only fulfill this role if they obtain the finance necessary to start and grow their business. Access to finance represents one of the most significant challenges for these firms, which the recent financial and economic crisis has exacerbated in many countries. Addressing this recurrent structural problem is imperative in order to improve the well-being of societies.
Financing SMEs and Entrepreneurs 2014: An OECD Scoreboard analyses trends in access to finance over the period 2007-2012, based on annual and quarterly data from central banks and national statistical agencies. It contains a thematic chapter on alternative financing instruments for SMEs and entrepreneurs, with a focus on mezzanine finance.