KfW and grenke launch global loan programme for lease financing

Germany’s development bank KfW and small-ticket leasing specialist grenke AG have launched a new €200 million global loan programme to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and self-employed professionals with lease-financed investments. The initiative aims to provide favourable financing conditions for projects in digitalisation, climate protection, and modern infrastructure.

The programme, the fourth joint initiative between KfW and grenke, is designed to improve access to government-sponsored funding for smaller-scale investments that traditionally face barriers to promotional financing. With immediate effect, eligible businesses across Germany can benefit from reduced leasing rates, enabling them to pursue urgent investments despite ongoing economic uncertainty and cost pressures.

“Leasing is an important, publicly-fundable financing instrument. By sending this strong signal, together with KfW, we are reaching out not only to the SME sector but to the entire German economy,” said Dr Sebastian Hirsch, CEO of grenke AG.

“Especially in the current challenging macroeconomic environment, companies need financing solutions that are simple, fast, unbureaucratic, and reliable. With our programme, we will be extending the benefits of government-sponsored funding to smaller-scale investments.”

Melanie Kehr, Member of KfW’s Executive Board responsible for domestic promotional funding, emphasised the strategic importance of targeted investment support.

“The competitiveness of our SME sector depends on entrepreneurial drive and targeted investments. Flexible and attractive financing options are essential,” she said.

“Together with grenke, we are enabling German companies to make urgent investments even more quickly and conveniently using liquidity-friendly leasing solutions. This strengthens their long-term viability and provides valuable momentum to the areas designated as our country’s key priorities: digitalisation, climate protection, and infrastructure.”

Under the arrangement, KfW provides refinancing through a €200 million global loan to grenke as part of its Global Loan Leasing promotional funding programme. grenke passes on the funding advantages directly to customers via a promotional voucher, which is redeemed upon conclusion of the leasing agreement and credited to the leasing customer.

The programme is available nationwide at the point of sale, leveraging grenke’s extensive sales network and nearly 50 years of leasing expertise. Eligible applicants include self-employed professionals and commercial enterprises based in Germany with annual revenues of up to €500 million.

By continuing their partnership, KfW and grenke underscore the growing role of leasing as a strategic financing instrument for SMEs. The new programme is intended to stimulate investment, strengthen competitiveness, and support Germany’s broader economic transformation.