Launched on 8 April, ESCALAR will provide up to €300 million in an effort to increase the investment capacity of venture capital and private equity funds, triggering investments of up to €1.2 billion, or four times the original investment, to support promising companies. With the launch of ESCALAR, the Commission is delivering on one of the actions announced in the new SME strategy to improve access to finance for SMEs. This initiative is particularly relevant in the difficult economic situation SMEs are currently facing due to the coronavirus outbreak. It will support innovative companies during and after the crisis to ensure that Europe can develop and stay at the helm of global technological developments and accelerate its economic recovery.