One of the pillars of the Budapest Stock Exchange's strategy is to support the growth and capital market presence of domestic SMEs. Since the spring of 2024, the Exchange has been offering its services to SMEs under a new umbrella brand, BÉT Mentor, which provides comprehensive support for SMEs in the areas of education and knowledge sharing, funding, and networking.

The cooperation between BSE and ELITE, part of Euronext Group, has rich history, dating back to 2017.  This successful collaboration aims to support the growth of Hungarian enterprises by creating new international business and networking opportunities, promoting the use of best practices in areas such as strategic planning and growth management, and introducing novel funding methods. The new phase of cooperation builds on the positive track record of BSE and ELITE’s joint efforts in the past, while bringing new partners and updated content to the international education programme offered by ELITE.

"BSE's goal is to enable more Hungarian companies to achieve sustainable growth, strategic planning and capital raising. Medium-sized companies form the backbone of the domestic economy, and are also key to the expansion of the capital market ecosystem. The renewal of our cooperation with ELITE is a strategic step, as many stock exchange success stories have emerged from the companies that joined the ELITE community and completed the training programme. We are committed to providing companies with all the tools and knowledge to ensure that this successful trend continues in the future," said Richárd Végh, CEO of the Budapest Stock Exchange.

Marta Testi, CEO of ELITE-Euronext Group, said “I am proud to reaffirm our commitment to supporting Hungarian companies within the broader pan-European ecosystem. The renewal of this long-standing partnership with the Budapest Stock Exchange underscores our dedication to connecting private companies with capital, fostering growth across borders. ELITE’s comprehensive program equips private small and medium companies with essential tools – ranging from education and knowledge sharing to funding and networking – empowering them to scale and succeed. Over the past years, we have welcomed more than 60 Hungarian companies, spanning 19 sectors and generating €1.6 billion in aggregate revenues. We are confident that this partnership will continue to attract even more ambitious companies, enabling them to further raise their aspirations and expand within the European market.”As part of the reinforcement of the cooperation, an exclusive event was held in the renewed building of the former Postal Palace, currently hosting the Money Museum, with the aim to familiarise participants with funding opportunities facilitating SME growth, and to introduce them to ELITE’s unique offer. During the afternoon, members of the BÉT Mentor and ELITE alumni communities could listen to presentations from market experts on several funding options relevant to SMEs, and on topics such as the current macroeconomic outlook, guarantees, and corporate treasury. The ensuing ELITE workshop started with ELITE representatives from Milan explaining how this initiative can foster the development of Hungarian companies; then Gloster and Kometa, two ELITE alumni shared their inspiring success stories demonstrating how ELITE has supported them on their path of growth.

About ELITE

ELITE, launched in 2012 by Borsa Italiana and now part of Euronext Group, is the European network of private SMEs which accelerates the process to access private and public capital markets. ELITE’s mission is to support companies by connecting them to capital, skills and network to drive their sustainable growth in the long-term. Based on a unique offer of services and solutions, ELITE combines a calendar of workshops and coaching sessions, supporting entrepreneurs and executives upskilling and empowering their strategic plan and business opportunities. ELITE Companies’ management teams are also guided on how to fast-track their development and how to access the most suitable funding options for their needs, whether the Basket Bonds®, institutional investors, private equity, venture capital or equity markets. With over 2000 companies and 200 partners admitted since the launch, about €20billion have been raised by ELITE businesses through 1200+ corporate transactions, highlighting how dynamic SMEs are once they are provided with an efficient access to private and public markets.

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Press contact

BSE Communications - media@bse.hu; www.bet.hu