The European Investment Bank (EIB) announced on 6 November that it is lending EUR 120 million to KTM AG, to support the Austrian motorcycle manufacturer’s investments in research, development and innovation (RDI). This EIB loan is backed by the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), the central pillar of the Investment Plan for Europe, the Juncker Plan. The EIB and Newron Pharmaceuticals S.p.A. (“Newron”) (SIX: NWRN), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapies for patients with diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system, signed a financing agreement on 30 November, which will allow the company to borrow up to EUR 40 million over the coming years, subject to achieving a set of agreed performance criteria. In Spain, the EIB signed a EUR 70 million loan with Lar España on 26 October to support urban regeneration through development of a new commercial centre that will encompass a low energy consumption building and will create over 3,400 direct and indirect jobs. The European Microfinance Network and the Microfinance Centre held the 4th European Microfinance Day in Brussels on 26 October. During the event, the European Investment Fund (EIF) and the Helenos Fund signed the first capacity building agreement in Europe under the EU Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) to support microfinance providers across Europe. This first ever EaSI capacity building agreement will enable Helenos to provide EUR 25 million in investment capacity to support around 25 microfinance institutions.