On Monday, December 5, a Coffee Break with entrepreneurs took place at the Vivero de Empresas in Moratalaz. The guest on this occasion was Silvia Rico, deputy director of the Nantik Lum Foundation, who was accompanied by Paula Muñoz, the foundation's research technician.
The Nantik Lumtener Foundation the objective of contributing to the economic development of disadvantaged societies, for which they have specialized in the use and study of microcredits.
Silvia has directed the study "Inclusive finance to create employment in Madrid", with the financial support of Citibank and the collaboration of ICO Foundation, in which a comparative analysis has been carried out between the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Madrid and that of New York, and the impact of microcredits in cities and the experience of the use of inclusive finance in different countries has been studied.
The PEM, a platform for your small business
During the Coffee Break the Spanish Microfinance Platform, by its manager, Paula Muñoz. The PEM, which is managed by the Nantik Lum Foundation, defines itself as the One Stop Shop of microfinance in Spain.
Its purpose is to help entrepreneurs from the most disadvantaged groups to access microcredit programs and entities that provide them with advice for managing their business; So
such as disseminating entrepreneurial projects and promoting self-employment and the creation of micro-enterprises.
If you want information about the possibility of microcredits for your business, or you want to publicize your project, you can contact the Spanish Microfinance Platform at:
- Web: http://www.esmicrofinanzas.com/
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PlataformaEspanolaDeMicrofinanzas
– Twitter: @PEMicrofinance
In the words of Paula Muñoz: «We want the PEM to serve to give support to those who are just starting out, and spread the word to those who have already started».
The entrepreneurial ecosystems of New York and Madrid
In relation to the study “Inclusive finance to create jobs in Madrid”, Silvia Rico explains that “in New York there is an entire entrepreneurial ecosystem based on public-private collaboration, which we want to reproduce here”, and clarifies that “In the United States, for For 50 years, small traditional businesses have been supported.
On the other hand, by law, US banks must allocate funds for microfinance entities and for incubation and advisory spaces.
As Silvia says, in Spain "we are at a time of change, and becoming aware that entrepreneurship is a way out of the crisis."
Although we have started late, we have taken note of models such as the American one, since «Madrid does not have to envy New York in support of entrepreneurs, especially with regard to business incubators, Avalmadrid or Enisa».
Nantik Lum?
Silvia explains that in its beginnings, the foundation worked in the Lacandon Jungle of Chiapas, Mexico, specifically with small groups of indigenous women, whose daily effort taught what can be achieved by working with the scarce resources that Mother Nature offers.
The name of the foundation is a tribute to these women. "Nantik Lum" means "Mother Earth" in Tseltal Mayan.
To finish, Silvia Rico left a sentence written on a window of the Moratalaz Nursery: «There is always a second chance. Cheer up!".
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