The NouBiznes SME Portal of Cim Finance, an innovative digital one-stop platform aiming to upskill SME owners with the necessary knowledge, opportunities, and networks to thrive in commercial and professional spaces, was launched yesterday, during a ceremony at the Caudan Arts Centre, in Port-Louis. The platform will also allow SME entrepreneurs to participate in insightful webinars and masterclasses to understand the scope of the business world.
The Minister of Financial Services and Good Governance, Mr Mahen Kumar Seeruttun; the Chairperson of Cim Finance, Mrs Aisha Timol; the Group CEO Cim Finance, Mr Mark van Beuningen; Board Directors; and other personalities were present at the launching event.
In his address, the Minister highlighted that as part of Government’s Vision 2030, the authorities ambition to boost the contribution and performance of the SME sector as a key driver of an inclusive and a balanced growth. He, thus, spoke of his conviction that the NouBiznes SME Portal will help support Government and the private sector in further positioning the SME sector and the Mauritian economy on a path of sustained growth.
Referring to the 10-Year Master Plan for the SME sector, he indicated that it provides for the attainment of specific targets to be reached by 2026, namely: raising SMEs’ contribution to GDP from 40% to 52%; raising SMEs’ share of total national employment from 55% to 64%; and, increasing current exports from less than 3% to about 18%.
According to the Minister, there is tremendous untapped potential for SMEs to seek alternative financing avenues. The NouBiznes proposition, he stated, is a timely initiative designed to empower businesses in need of financing to embrace the digital renaissance for a positive future. He, moreover, expressed optimism that NouBiznes will not only live up to its intention but will also set the trend and create impetus for other corporates.
For her part, Mrs Timol, indicated, the SME sector is considered one of the most important models for advancing the economy, creating jobs, and fostering local expenditure. By giving SMEs a chance, we must remember that we are encouraging innovative business ideas that are paramount in answering the transition toward contemporary obligations and the NouBiznes was created by Cim Finance to demonstrate its long-term engagement with SMEs, she emphasised.
As for Mr Mark van Beuningen, he highlighted that to ensure the prosperity of Mauritius, it is important to have a vibrant SME sector. Cim Finance has always been a strong advocate of SMEs, accompanying them for over twenty years, now, he stated and likewise underlined the need to assist SME entrepreneurs in their strategic and operational decisions.
Speaking about the NouBiznes SME Portal, he shared that it will address the barriers SMEs face and provide the ecosystem and support to help them grow their businesses. With NouBiznes, SME entrepreneurs can access relevant content and coaching that have been provided by a team of experts and synthesised into short and simple video tutorials and articles to support and help these very SMEs grow their business, he said.
