VÚB Bank, a member of the Intesa Sanpaolo Group, has recently subscribed to the first minibond on the Czech and Slovak markets. The bond will be used to finance the engineering company Fermat CZ, which will thus obtain funds for its expansion into the US market. VÚB Bank is the only bank on the Czech market to provide corporate financing through minibonds.

Fermat CZ is one of the leading Czech manufacturers of machine tools, operating in several foreign markets.

Thanks to the bonds, the company can expand, particularly abroad, and will use part of the proceeds from the issue to invest in production and storage facilities, equipment, and human resources abroad.

"VÚB Bank's new product – financing through mini-bonds – appealed to us with its flexibility and favorable terms. Obtaining financing for the purchase of real estate abroad is extremely difficult for the company. Thanks to mini-bonds, we can strengthen our position in important foreign markets," says Jiří Ferenc, owner of Fermat CZ.

Minibonds – a solution for growth and expansion

VÚB Bank was the first bank on the Czech and Slovak markets to introduce minibonds in the summer of 2025. Minibonds can be issued by small and medium-sized enterprises seeking sources of financing for the development of their business. VÚB Bank acts as the arranger and guarantor of the issue and also subscribes to the entire volume of bonds.

The key advantage of minibonds is their seven-year maturity and two-year deferral of repayments, with a maximum issue volume of EUR 10 million and no need for hard collateral. Individual issues are made on the basis of an assessment of the client's business plan and creditworthiness.

"We are very pleased that Fermat CZ was convinced by the advantages of our new product and decided to finance its expansion through a minibond. Minibonds offer companies a fast and flexible solution for development projects at home and abroad," says Andrej Viceník, Senior Director of Corporate Banking at VÚB Bank.

"Fermat CZ has been working with VÚB for several years and we use several of the bank's products. We are pleased to be involved in the launch of minibonds on the Czech market, as we recognize their undeniable advantages. I am convinced that the cooperation will be successful and will lead to further projects in which we will use this innovative form of financing," says Jiří Ferenc.

Minibonds as a gateway to the capital market

In launching the product on the Czech market, VÚB Bank is building on the extraordinary success of minibonds in Italy, as well as their initial success in Central and Eastern Europe. The group managed to place up to EUR 60 million on the Croatian market in the first six months.

Minibonds also represent a gateway to the capital market for companies. Since the bank is the sole investor, there is no risk of an unsuccessful issue or the costs of attracting investors. Companies can thus try out capital financing in a simpler form than a standard stock exchange issue.

Following the successful subscription of minibonds by Fermat CZ, VÚB Bank has also recorded interest in the product from other clients.

"We expect the use of minibonds to gradually grow on the Czech market, especially in acquisitions or expansion into foreign markets. We believe that minibonds will be an interesting alternative to traditional forms of financing for Czech companies," says Andrea Fiori, director of the VÚB Bank branch in Prague.