On October 4 and 5, the most important Annual Microfinance Congress at European level and one of the most relevant worldwide was held in Bilbao.
This congress, important/relevant in the microfinance sector, has been organized by the two networks that operate at European level: the European Microfinance Network (EMN), integrated by 114 members from 24 countries, mainly from Central and Western Europe; and the Microfinance Centre (MFC), composed by 108 members from 36 countries of Asia and Eastern Europe.
In this edition, Seed Capital Bizkaia Mikro has played the role of host organization, collaborating in the organization and logistics of the Congress. This space has provided an ideal opportunity for experts from the microfinance sector to exchange experiences and lay the foundations for future alliances for their joint strategies.
This meeting has been an important turning point since it was the first time that the two organizations held their annual congress together.
The opening ceremony was chaired by Unai Rementeria, Deputy General of Bizkaia, accompanied by Ann Branch, responsible of the job creation department of the Directorate General for Employment of the European Commission, and by Francisco de Paula Coelho, Dean of the Institute of the European Investment Bank.
People and digital revolution
During the congress, the technological challenges and opportunities of digitization were analyzed under the motto “People and the digital revolution: advancing in our social mission through technology”. In a total of 16 workshops and 2 plenary sessions, an infinity of impacting topics in the world of microfinance have been analyzed, such as the use of fintech, Big Data management, crowdfunding, risk management instruments, immigration, entrepreneurship, impact of microfinance and measurement systems, current trends in social investment, among others.
The closing plenary session of the conference was given by Guillermo Dorronsoro, who was Dean of the Deusto Business School and current Director of the Northern Area in Ibermática.
After the celebration of the congress, the two associations have positively valued this first joint meeting. The high number of participants, the good evaluation received on the content, as well as the possible synergies, represent a good impetus to continue working in spaces of convergence that contribute to strengthening the microfinance sector.
