Impact Bridge, a Spanish asset manager specialized in impact investing, has announced the closing of its ‘IB Deuda Impacto España’ fund, which has surpassed €147 million in commitments, reaching nearly its maximum target size and becoming the largest impact-focused debt fund dedicated to Spain.
The fund, pioneering in both its approach and structure, was launched with the aim of channeling capital towards projects with positive social and environmental impact through debt — an agile and effective tool for transforming key sectors such as affordable housing, employment inclusion, the energy transition, and sustainable consumption.
Institutional support has been significant, with more than three hundred investors, including the European Investment Fund (EIF), MicroBank, the Social Impact Fund (FIS, managed by COFIDES) and Axis (ICO), as well as social entities such as Fundación ONCE, Fundación Anesvad, and more than 30 nonprofit organizations. The fund has also earned the trust of eight pension funds, demonstrating the growing interest of institutional capital in impact investing.
Since its inception, ‘IB Deuda Impacto España’ has financed landmark projects in sectors that are priorities for a sustainable and inclusive economy. Its most notable investments include:
•Moda re-, a textile reuse network with strong social impact through job inclusion.
•ILUNION Hotels, which promotes accessible tourism and inclusive employment.
•tuTECHÔ, innovating affordable housing solutions for vulnerable groups.
•Fundeen, a platform that democratizes access to renewable energy financing.
•Ecoalf, a benchmark in circular fashion and responsible consumption.
MicroBank, one of the fund’s initial backers, made a strategic investment of €10 million and has been involved from the outset in the fund’s design and governance. Cristina González Viu, General Manager of MicroBank, currently chairs the Impact Committee, which ensures that investments align with the highest social and environmental impact standards.
The European Investment Fund (EIF) has played a decisive role in IB Deuda Impacto España. The EIF made an initial investment of €30 million at the fund’s launch through the EU’s InvestEU guarantee program. This initial commitment was followed by a second contribution of an additional €10 million and a third investment of €25 million through the Regional Resilience Fund, financed by Next Generation EU. The EIF’s total investment of €65 million has acted as a major catalyst, encouraging other private investors to place their trust in the fund and enabling it to reach its target. Through strategic investments like this one, the EIF promotes innovative financial models that channel capital to SMEs engaged in the energy transition, innovation, social inclusion, and sustainable development, among other areas.
The Social Impact Fund (FIS), managed by COFIDES, has committed an investment of €30 million and provides a €100,000 technical assistance facility to support financed companies that need training in social procurement, responsible hiring practices, and sourcing from impact-driven suppliers. In addition, the ICO Group, through its venture capital arm AXIS, has committed €10 million through its social impact and sustainability initiative.
Marco Marrone, Head of Investments at the European Investment Fund, stated: “Supporting vehicles like ‘IB Deuda Impacto España’ aligns perfectly with our mission to provide tailored financing for SMEs committed to an inclusive and sustainable economic model in Europe. Thanks to this fund’s innovative approach, the EIF is expanding its support to Spain’s impact sector through debt instruments to foster cohesion, the energy transition, rural development, social inclusion, and sustainable agriculture.”
Cristina González, General Manager of MicroBank and Chair of the Impact Committee of ‘IB Deuda Impacto España’, highlighted: “At MicroBank, we firmly believe that impact investing must be at the core of the financial agenda. Supporting funds like ‘IB Deuda Impacto España’ allows us to channel resources into initiatives that improve people’s lives and protect the planet. Chairing its Impact Committee is a great responsibility and a commitment to ensuring that every euro invested generates real change.”
Finally, Maria Samoilova, Head of the ‘IB Deuda Impacto España’ fund and Managing Partner at Impact Bridge, remarked: “This milestone reinforces our commitment to genuine, measurable impact investing focused on Spain. Debt allows us to be flexible, preserve capital, and support areas that other instruments do not reach. In a country with so many social and environmental challenges, this approach is more necessary than ever.”
About IB Deuda Impacto España
Launched in July 2023 with the backing of MicroBank, ‘IB Deuda Impacto España’ is a flexible private debt fund focused on capital preservation, with the goal of financing projects with social and environmental impact in Spain. Its focus covers rural development, employment inclusion, climate and the environment, the circular economy, sustainable agriculture, and gender equality.
It is the largest private impact debt fund focused on Spain, with over €147 million committed, supported by prominent institutional investors such as the European Investment Fund (EIF), MicroBank, Axis Participaciones (part of the ICO Group), COFIDES, and other key players in the financial sector. It is registered in Spain with the CNMV as a European Social Entrepreneurship Fund (EuSEF) and complies with the highest sustainability classification (Article 9 of the SFDR regulation). Impact Bridge has received EIF support through its Alternative Lending for Sustainable Development instrument under Spain’s Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.
About Impact Bridge Asset Management
Impact Bridge is a Spanish asset management company with over €400 million in assets under management, specializing in high-quality impact investing and focused on projects that generate authentic, intentional, and measurable impact. Founded in 2018, its team comprises professionals with extensive experience at leading asset management firms, as well as in sustainable and impact investment and academia. Its investor base includes private institutional investors such as pension funds, foundations, and family offices, as well as public investors like the European Investment Fund, CDTI, COFIDES, and Axis (ICO).
About MicroBank
MicroBank, CaixaBank’s social bank, is Europe’s leading microfinance institution. Its mission is to provide financing to people and projects with positive social impact, promoting financial inclusion and entrepreneurship, especially among vulnerable groups. MicroBank acts as a catalyst for the social economy and offers a specialized range of ethical, responsible, and sustainable financial products. Since its creation, it has supported thousands of entrepreneurs, self-employed workers, and social organizations in Spain.
About the European Investment Fund (EIF)
The European Investment Fund (EIF) is part of the European Investment Bank Group. Its primary mission is to support Europe’s micro, small and medium-sized enterprises by facilitating their access to finance. To this end, the EIF designs and develops venture and growth capital instruments, guarantees, and microfinance tools specifically targeted at this market segment. Through its activities, it contributes to key EU policy objectives such as competitiveness and growth, innovation and digitalization, social impact, skills and human capital, climate action, and environmental sustainability.
Image: Arturo Benito, CEO de Impact Bridge; Cristina González, directora general de MicroBank; Maria Samoilova, socia directora de Impact Bridge; Marco Marrone, director de inversiones del Fondo Europeo de Inversiones
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