BRD Groupe Société Générale has launched a new integrated ecosystem called CalEA BRD. The platform is designed to assist and accelerate women-led businesses across the Romanian banking market. Developed over two years, the initiative combines traditional financial products with personal and professional development tools. The project involved collaboration across all bank departments alongside specialist advice from International Finance Corporation consultants.
Recent research conducted by the bank and IFC experts indicates that Romania possesses a pool of roughly 30,000 firms eligible for gender finance. More than 90 per cent of these businesses operate within the small business sector, where access to specialised services and capital remains critical for growth. The platform aims to resolve market fragmentation by providing a structured framework for these companies.
The financial segment of the platform offers day-to-day business solutions. These include checking account packages for individuals and firms, savings options, digital cash management services, lending choices and structured guarantee schemes.
A central differentiator for the platform is its non-financial component, which offers practical knowledge and direct experience. Through a partnership with the Startarium educational ecosystem, users gain access to specialised development programs. This includes the Start Business Hub for foundational guides, the Business Learning Lab for practical workshops with experienced specialists, and Business Advisory services for growth strategies.
The development follows a Synthetic Risk Transfer agreement signed two years ago between BRD and the IFC, a member of the World Bank Group. The deal freed up corporate capital specifically to back sustainable, high-impact projects and address barriers faced by female business owners.
Mădălina Teodorescu, Deputy CEO at BRD Groupe Société Générale, commented on the target audience:
“With ‘CalEA BRD,’ we started from the observation that women’s entrepreneurship means more than just access to financing. In this customer segment, we encounter a higher level of complexity, particularly regarding the need to balance professional and personal life. Through the ecosystem we have built, we aim to become a long-term partner and create a framework that offers greater security for the development of women-led businesses,” said Mădălina Teodorescu, Deputy CEO, BRD Groupe Société Générale.
