An alternative form of financing that surfaced ten years ago in the USA is becoming a megatrend: Crowdfunding. The media proclaim a tremendous growth, new offers pop up around the web constantly and even the German federal government has put the topic on its agenda. Could crowdfunding be THE financing alternative of the digital age? Or just a temporary, possibly even dangerous hype in the financial market? And what exactly does the term crowdfunding entail, as well as the related buzzwords crowdsourcing, crowdinvesting, crowdsponsoring, crowdlending? This is the first book to tackle the topic in its entire complexity. In an accessible way and with many examples, the author uses her background as financing expert and consultant to explain important connections, differentiate between the different models of funding and give advice for entrepreneurs looking to raise capital and for investors.