The project

Eduardo turned to Creze for financial support when he needed a new printing machine back in 2022 and later for ongoing operational needs. This was crucial for him because he didn’t have a credit history, and without that, he could not apply for a loan at a traditional bank. This is a common challenge for many small business owners in Mexico. By working with Creze, Eduardo can build up a credit history to get better financial conditions in the future. The flexibility and efficiency of their loan process, which accommodates businesses with minimal operational history, made a significant difference.

Having personal contact with Creze also helped Eduardo manage through the ups and downs of raw material costs and the unpredictability of the market. This adaptability has been essential for his business in advertising displays, which must navigate constant changes in client demand and storage constraints.

Your investment supports the growth of micro, small, and medium-sized businesses in Mexico, offering financing that meets the unique needs of local entrepreneurs.

What social return could your investment make?

Mexico has 4 million SMEs, which represent 60% of the country's formal productive employment. However, more than half of these SMEs do not have access to the financing they need. Financial institutions like Creze help them overcome this hurdle by offering fast and flexible lending solutions through their digital lending platform.

With this specific loan, Creze will be able to finance around 10 SMEs in Mexico active in the retail, industrial, technology, construction, transportation, and telecommunications sectors. Of the companies Creze finances, 25% are owned by women, who typically face greater challenges than men in obtaining business credit. Investing in Creze will contribute to reducing the SME financing gap, creating jobs and improving the livelihoods of Mexican entrepreneurs.  

What financial return could your investment generate? 

Click here for an example repayment schedule.

• Annual interest: 8%
• Maturity: 36 months
• Principal grace period: 18 months. This indicates that the principal amount you lent won't start being repaid until after 18 months. However, even during this period, you'll earn interest. This interest will be paid to you monthly, starting from the first month
• Monthly repayments: Repayments will be paid to you on a monthly basis. Given the 18-month grace period for the principal, your initial repayments will consist solely of the monthly interest. Starting from the 19th month, you will receive monthly payments of both principal and interest
• Please consider that although you invest in EUR, the loan is in USD, so there is a risk of exchange rate fluctuations between dollars and euros. For more information, please visit our currency page.

The story of Creze

Creze (officially Prestadora de Servicios Ciclomart, SAPI de CV) is a balance sheet lender founded in 2015 and based in Mexico City that originates loans to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) throughout Mexico. As of late April 2021, Creze had disbursed over $68 million USD since its origin, with an outstanding book of just over $17 million USD. The average loan amount is $19,500 USD, the average loan term is 12 months, and almost 90% of loans are paid biweekly.

The company provides principal loan products focused on offering working capital to SMEs, serving a varity of industries. Creze is a digital lender that has built an in-house platform that enables a fully online loan application process with approval times between 24 and 48 hours.

Additionally, Creze is backed by two renowned family offices in Mexico and has attracted several institutional lenders.

There are currently over 60 people working at Creze. The founding management team is highly experienced and is made up of a mix of entrepreneurs and former employees of the finance and microfinance sector.
 

Creze in numbers

• Founded in 2015
• 60 employees
• Disbursed 5,042 loans for a total of USD 160,000,000 since inception
• Current outstanding loan amount USD 48,000,000
• About 25% of their borrowers are female