Having access to credit can make a difference for companies still facing the economic impacts of the pandemic. Aware of this challenge, the Santa Catarina Technology Association (ACATE), through the ACATE Guarantor Fund (FGA), has already provided access to more than BRL 4.8 million in credit lines for 38 technology companies in the state, up to August this year. Resources for working capital and investments benefited businesses in Florianópolis, Blumenau, Joinville, São José, Itajaí, Lages, Penha, Rio do Sul, Urussanga and Chapecó.

Launched in March 2020, the ACATE Guarantor Fund aims to offer guarantees to member companies, facilitating access to credit with partner financial institutions. The amount made possible may increase even more, leveraging up to R$ 10 million in this stage. “This was a very important initiative by ACATE, still at the beginning of the pandemic, to help the sector as a whole, together with associated companies. These loans are making a difference for several businesses in the technology area”, reinforces the president of ACATE, Iomani Engelmann.

The ACATE Guarantor Fund represents an alternative to solve an old challenge in the sector, which is to have access to credit, as companies often do not have the necessary guarantee to take out a loan. Due to a lack of resources, innovative businesses may no longer leave the paper and drive economic development, generating employment and income.

One of the businesses that benefited was Ezok, a Blumenau company focused on artificial intelligence for the insurance market. The company obtained the loan in 2020 and the resource was essential to maintain growth. “The FGA was very important for us to face the challenges posed by the pandemic. Thus, we managed to go through this critical moment and continue to serve our customers well, in addition to continuing to develop”, reinforces Ezok’s CEO, Henrique Bilbao.

A partnership between ACATE and Sociedade Garantidora de Crédito Garante-SC, FGA has the support of the Regional Development Bank of the Extreme South (BRDE) and SEBRAE/SC. The establishment of the FGA was made possible with the financial contribution of the following member companies: Audaces, Automatisa, Blendus, Brasilrad, Cebra, Cianet, DOT Digital Group, Jexperts, JXS, Neoway, Nexxera Group, Paradigma, Pixeon, Poligraph, Softplan, Specto, Teltec Solutions, Visa Sistemas, Wavetech and Way2.

The criteria for accessing the Fund are:

Requirements

• Be associated with ACATE for more than six months;
• Have business performance and billing for over 12 months;
• Be up to date with the social obligations with ACATE.

Amounts and Deadlines
Credit guarantee letters granted to member companies will be at the maximum percentage of 80% of the credit operation value, up to the limit of R$ 100,000 per associated CNPJ

The maximum terms for payment in installments of credit operations are:

• 36 months for working capital;
• 48 months for mixed investment;
• 60 months for pure investment.

Karine Wenzel
Analyst | Press Office

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