Crowdfunding European Business

The main source of financing for European businesses (in some countries more than others) is still bank credit. However, following Basel III and the introduction of the ratings-based approach, it has become increasingly expensive for businesses to obtain capital from banks – both economically and in terms of time. In this context, one of the needs to be addressed is certainly the strengthening of the equity ratio which has a positive impact on the rating and solvency of the company. Another important challenge is to find and use alternative or supplementary forms to bank credit. Taking this into consideration, this book is intended as a means to reframe contemporary issues surrounding corporate finance and develop relevant knowledge to help companies succeed when it comes to securing the means to grow. Relying on the work of different academics, practitioners, and institutions, this book aims to provide a systematic understanding of crowdfunding as a substitute or complement to other forms of entrepreneurial finance and also to emphasise some misunder- standings surrounding the crowdfunding industry and its future evolution.