Introduction

Crowdfunding is part of the world’s progress towards a global and digital society. The idea behind crowdfunding is not new, it is the idea of people pooling their resources in order to realise a common goal, sharing tasks and responsibilities. Yet there is a noticeable lack of scientific research on crowdfunding. This work is a collaborative effort by a new generation of forward-looking academics and practitioners from around Europe to better understand the growing phenomenon of crowdfunding, its triggers and motivations, and how it may be harnessed by organisations and individuals alike to better our lives, to strengthen our economies and to optimise our use of resources. This introductory chapter focuses crowdfunding’s relevance for research, society and the economy, and provides an overview of the book’s contents and its objectives.