This book is dedicated to alternative forms of financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), collectively known as crowdfunding. SMEs have always emphasized strengths such as flexibility, strong customer relationships, and high product quality. Regarding financing, however, opinions on this topic have been quite diverse in recent years. While some have spoken of a credit crunch and liquidity shortages, others from academia and industry have praised the strong financial resources of SMEs. The alternative financing instruments presented here—specifically crowdlending, crowdfunding, and crowdfinancing—all share the common feature of financing private individuals or companies through platforms that connect private (small) investors with funds. In addition to theoretical arguments, the book also presents empirical findings from a 2015 survey of 414 companies. Biography (Wolfgang Becker) Professor Dr. Wolfgang Becker holds the Chair of Business Administration, specializing in Corporate Management and Controlling, at the University of Bamberg. He is also responsible for the Controlling component of the Executive MBA programs at the Universities of Mainz and Nuremberg. Furthermore, Professor Becker is the Scientific Director of the Deloitte SME Institute at the University of Bamberg and a founding partner and Chairman of the Advisory Board of Scio! Knowledge Services GmbH (Erlangen). New product