Kenta Capital, a debt advisory firm specializing in alternative financing and investment solutions, and Avalis , Catalonia’s mutual guarantee society, today announced the launch of a debt fund aimed at supporting the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Catalonia.
The financing vehicle has an initial size of €50 million and will provide loans of up to €4 million per transaction on competitive terms, featuring a bullet repayment structure (principal repaid at maturity) and maturities ranging from five to seven years.
This pioneering initiative is designed to support both organic and inorganic growth for companies in Catalonia with revenues of up to €50 million, a strong position within their respective industries, and a balanced financial structure. While the fund primarily targets industrial companies, it will also be open to service-sector businesses that meet the established criteria.
The new fund positions Avalis as the institution enabling Catalan SMEs to access financing structures that, until now, were typically available only to large corporations, while maintaining competitive financing conditions. Bullet repayment structures are particularly well suited to companies and projects undergoing growth and expansion.
In addition, Avalis is diversifying its product portfolio and expanding its value proposition for Catalan SMEs by offering financing solutions of up to €4 million.
The fund’s objective is to provide SMEs with access to a source of financing complementary to traditional bank lending, enabling them to diversify their debt profile, strengthen their balance sheets, optimize cash flows, and pursue both organic and acquisition-driven growth projects without diluting shareholder ownership.
The fund has secured the support of a group of private investors, including several family offices and institutional investors, most of them based in Catalonia. It has also received the commitment of three financial institutions with a strong track record of supporting SMEs—Kutxabank (acting as agent bank), Unicaja, and Laboral Kutxa—which have provided financing for the vehicle.
Through Avalis, the fund also benefits from the support of CERSA (Compañía Española de Reafianzamiento), a public institution affiliated with Spain’s Ministry of Industry.
Kenta Capital will be responsible for the origination, analysis, and structuring of transactions, while Avalis will play a key role by contributing its extensive knowledge of the Catalan business ecosystem and providing guarantees for each loan. This collaboration will help facilitate access to competitively priced financing for businesses across Catalonia.
This financing solution is not intended to replace bank debt but rather to complement it, offering an alternative tailored to companies that do not always find suitable financing within traditional banking parameters due to transaction size, repayment structure, or required maturities.
Borja Bertrán, Managing Director & Co-Founder of Kenta Capital, commented: “At Kenta Capital, as specialists in alternative financing, we continuously seek solutions that respond to market realities and the specific needs of businesses at every stage of their development. Through this pioneering fund, with unique characteristics in Catalonia, we aim to support the growth of Catalan SMEs alongside a leading partner such as Avalis, facilitating access to flexible financing that can accelerate their development plans.”
Anna Alvarez, CEO of Avalis, added: “For Avalis, the creation of this fund represents a significant step forward in providing Catalan companies with new and improved financing solutions to support their growth. Our partnership with Kenta Capital enables us to offer Catalan SMEs a differentiated, high-value product that helps companies undertake growth projects while benefiting from repayment at maturity, giving investments time to mature and consolidate.”
This initiative forms part of Kenta Capital’s broader strategy to develop alternative financing solutions with a regional focus. In line with this strategy, the firm has already launched a similar vehicle in the Basque Country and Navarre in partnership with Elkargi, through which transactions are already being completed.
Kenta Capital has also maintained a presence in Catalonia since 2023, steadily expanding its activities in the region with the aim of strengthening its position in the local market. The firm remains firmly committed to Catalonia, highlighting the dynamism and potential of its business ecosystem.
Through this fund, Avalis continues its commitment to improving and diversifying access to financing for viable projects undertaken by Catalan SMEs.
Companies may apply for financing directly through Kenta Capital or through Avalis’ established channels. Each transaction will be assessed on a case-by-case basis following a comprehensive review of the applicant company.
About Kenta Capital
Kenta Capital is an independent investment banking firm specialized in debt advisory services and currently employs more than 60 professionals. Its activities are organized around three distinct business divisions:
About Avalis
Avalis de Catalunya SGR is Catalonia’s mutual guarantee society, established in May 2003 through a public-private partnership involving the Government of Catalonia, financial institutions, and business organizations that became shareholder guarantors of the company. As a mutual guarantee society, Avalis is supervised by the Bank of Spain and benefits from state support through CERSA, which partially counter-guarantees risks assumed in eligible projects.
Avalis’ mission is to facilitate access to financing for SMEs and self-employed professionals by providing financial, technical, and economic guarantees to banks, public institutions, customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders under the best possible conditions.
Photo caption: in the center, Anna Alvarez, CEO of Avalis, and Borja Bertrán, Managing Director & Co-Founder of Kenta Capital
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This pioneering initiative is designed to support both organic and ino...
