The European Investment Bank (EIB) is providing a €100 million loan to Bonnier AB, a Swedish, family-owned media and publishing company founded in 1804. The loan will support research, development and innovation (RDI) investments for the development of new content as well as content delivery platforms. It will support Bonnier’s migration to a digital business model for areas such as books, magazines, broadcasting and news. The main objective of the operation is to strengthen local media content production in the Nordic region and act to safeguard jobs in the media industry. Bonnier employs over 8,000 people and has businesses in 14 countries worldwide.

Educational tools also form a core part of what Bonnier does. Bonnier Education recently launched Clio Online in Sweden. Clio Online is used by 90 percent of Danish schools. The Swedish version has 10 portals for 10 subjects as well as a self-regulating system with assignments for secondary school students.

It also recently launched Måltid, a new online foodie platform for Denmark and Norway. Måltid allows users to find recipes that contain specific ingredients but excludes others and all have been data-optimized to allow better usage of the recipes both editorially and commercially. The editorial team behind Måltid will also produce new content and recipes to make life easier for busy families.

Bonnier’s printing plants are ISO 14001 certified. This certification provides practical tools for companies and organizations looking to manage their environmental responsibilities. In addition, the printing plants have their own environmental policy and environmental plan in line with EU regulations.

“Under the Investment Plan for Europe, one of the Bank’s focal points is to support innovation,” said Jan Vapaavuori, EIB Vice-President responsible for lending operations in Sweden. “The media landscape is becoming ever more competitive, so investments in innovation and digitalisation will remain very important. This kind of operation really shows where the EIB can be of added value for European companies.”

“I am pleased that the EIB has chosen Bonnier for a loan under the Investment Plan for Europe,” stated Tomas Franzén, CEO of Bonnier AB. “With 200 years of sector experience, we are committed to staying in the media business. To succeed, we are transforming from a traditional print and broadcast company into a digital media group, something we are in the midst of. This requires substantial investments for which this loan provides valuable support.”

To find out more about how your brand can capitalize on these digital product opportunities, contact Cornfield & Partners at info@cornfieldpartners.com today or call us on +44 (0) 20 7692 0873.

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