ROMCOM Foundation
The ROMCOM Foundation is a Swiss-Romanian organization with over 30 years of experience providing development solutions for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through financing, consultancy, and training.
Mission
ROMCOM’s mission is to foster entrepreneurial development in Transylvania, Romania, by providing financing, consulting, and business training services, ultimately creating a supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem.
History and Background
ROMCOM’s program started in Oradea in 1991 as an initiative of Christliche Ostmission (COM), a Christian charitable organization founded in Worb, Switzerland. The goal was to promote business initiatives and create jobs in Romania. Shortly after its founding, ROMCOM received technical assistance and loan funds from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). In its early years, ROMCOM provided microloans to small businesses and farmers and offered business training and exchange programs with Swiss farmers.
In 2006, following the enactment of Romania’s microfinance law, the ROMCOM Foundation established IFN ROMCOM SA, a microfinance institution registered under the Romanian National Bank’s oversight. The foundation acts as a holding entity, also owning ROMCOM Invest (the group’s real estate company, which manages a modern business center) and ROMCOM Training (an entity providing training services).
Key Achievements
Over its 30-year journey, ROMCOM’s significant accomplishments include:
- Providing loans to over 3,500 small businesses and farmers; since 2006, IFN ROMCOM SA has granted 2,530 loans, totaling 174.25 million RON.
- Hosting numerous business seminars attended by hundreds of small business owners.
- Securing non-reimbursable funding for over 1,000 investment projects, with a total value of 150 million Euros, from the European Union and the Romanian government.
- Developing the ROMCOM Business Center with EU funding as an infrastructure hub supporting SMEs in Bihor County.
