September 27, 2018 @ 1:00 am By JD Alois  |  

Ronald Kleverlaan is a well known thought leader in the European Fintech sector. He is Director of the European Centre for Alternative Finance (ECAF) at Utrecht University in the Netherlands -a joint initiative of the University Utrecht School of Economics, CrowdfundingHub, and the Sustainable Finance Lab. ECAF… Read More

July 3, 2018 @ 2:02 pm By Therese Torris  |  

In recent years, interesting alternative forms of financing such as crowdlending and crowdfunding have emerged to provide the underserved European SME market with debt and equity financing. However, these alternative solutions have been hampered by a missing link in their distribution: SME advisors. This missing… Read More

August 21, 2017 @ 6:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) has become the standard by which everyone measures the growth and aggregate success of the alternative finance industry. Cambridge was the first major institution to capture a snapshot, both qualitatively and quantitatively, on the emergence of crowdfunding, online… Read More

August 6, 2017 @ 8:00 am By Erin Hobey  |  

From June 7-9 Utrecht School of Economics (U.S.E.) hosted the inaugural Crowdfunding research week of the European Centre for Alternative Finance (ECAF), co-organized by U.S.E., CrowdfundingHub and Sustainable Finance Lab. 37 researchers from seven European countries spanning 21 organisations contributed to the successful event. The… Read More

July 2, 2017 @ 7:53 am By JD Alois  |  

The presentation embedded below is an interesting perspective on the growth of alternative finance, specifically in Europe. There has been a certain amount of discussion regarding the tepid growth of investment crowdfunding in the US (not including marketplace lending) and the reasons why the sector… Read More

June 14, 2017 @ 5:31 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) at the University of Cambridge Judge Business School has launched its third European benchmarking survey and the second survey for Africa and the Middle East. The two separate research initiatives will review the emerging alternative finance markets in each… Read More

April 16, 2017 @ 12:45 pm By JD Alois  |  

Crowdfunding is a global phenomenon but it is obviously evolving at different speeds in different countries. Africa is one region where the new form of finance can be utilized to benefit the economy.  A recent report published by the CrowdfundingHub highlights a single country in… Read More

October 28, 2016 @ 12:14 pm By JD Alois  |  

    The CrowdfundingHub has published a report on the rise of equity crowdfunding across Europe. The  document provides a snapshot perspective on sector growth noting that more evolved markets have gained investor trust but risks remain. Pointing to data provided by the Cambridge Centre… Read More

September 14, 2016 @ 4:15 pm By Alessandro M. Lerro  |  

At Crowddialogue Europe in Graz, Austria last week, a panel presentation, moderated by Ronald Kleverlaan, inquired about the status of the European legislation on crowd-investing. Looking back to 2014, with the EU Commission’s Communication “Unleashing the Potential of Crowdfunding”, soon followed by the 2015 Communication “Action Plan… Read More

August 21, 2016 @ 5:33 pm By Kevin Berg Grell  |  

  The memory of Rockin1000’s spectacular performance of “Learning to Fly” and the gathering of one thousand musicians in Cesena, Italy is still fresh. Moreover, as the Biggest Rock Band on Earth pushes through with follow-up events, the spirit of collaboration – and collaborative economics… Read More

July 7, 2016 @ 11:08 pm By Therese Torris  |  

In the troubled post-Brexit context, many leaders in the UK traditional and alternative financial services are trying to reassure their market and even to present the Brexit vote as an opportunity for the UK. Their statements read like reactions of the French after a soccer… Read More

May 2, 2016 @ 3:00 am By JD Alois  |  

Research Initiative is in Collaboration with 17 Major Industry Associations & Organisations The Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) at the University of Cambridge Judge Business School is launching the Second Annual European Alternative Finance Industry Survey with the support of 17 major European industry associations and research… Read More

February 15, 2016 @ 8:33 am By Josef Holm  |  

Ronald Kleverlaan is an alternative finance specialist and one of the industry’s best-known crowdfunding advocates in Europe. He is an influencer on alternative finance, regular keynote speaker on future trends in the industry and connector in the European crowdfunding ecosystem. He advises the European Commission on… Read More

December 24, 2015 @ 10:37 am By JD Alois  |  

The CrowdfundingHub, created by Ronald Kleverlaan, has set a launch date of March 31st, 2016. The date was selected to coordinate wit the Innovative Enterprise event of the European Commission on Access to Finance taking place in the Hague. The CrowdfundingHub is an international educational… Read More

September 7, 2015 @ 10:12 am By Ronald Kleverlaan  |  

The e-Residency project is an initiative of the Estonian government to offer every world citizen the possibility to become an e-Resident of Estonia. As a side effect they could solve a number of problems for current Crowdfunding platforms with this government backed e-identity program and boost the industry…. Read More

January 23, 2015 @ 8:30 am By Erin Hobey  |  

As many Crowdfund Insiders know, when The University of Cambridge teamed up with EY and launched the European Alternative Finance Benchmarking Survey, the largest study to date on crowdfunding, peer-to-peer lending and other forms of alternative finance in Europe was initiated. This benchmarking survey, which closed on 6 January 2015,  seeks to capture the size,… Read More

January 21, 2015 @ 9:39 am By Erin Hobey  |  

As many Crowdfund Insiders know, The University of Cambridge teamed up with EY and launched the European Alternative Finance Benchmarking Survey, the largest study to date on crowdfunding, peer-to-peer lending and other forms of alternative finance in Europe. This benchmarking survey, which closed on 6 January 2015,  seeks to capture the size, transactional… Read More

January 15, 2015 @ 10:25 am By Erin Hobey  |  

European Alternative Finance Benchmarking Survey UPDATE Since late November, the University of Cambridge teamed up with EY, the global professional services organization, and launched the European Alternative Finance Benchmarking Survey with the support of major European industry associations. As readers may know, this is the largest study to date on crowdfunding,… Read More

January 13, 2015 @ 8:51 am By Erin Hobey  |  

Since late November, The University of Cambridge teamed up with EY, the global professional services organization, and launched the European Alternative Finance Benchmarking Survey with the support of major European industry associations. As readers may know, this is the largest study to date on crowdfunding, peer-to-peer lending and other forms of alternative… Read More

January 6, 2015 @ 9:26 am By Erin Hobey  |  

The European Alternative Finance Benchmarking Survey deadline is today, 6 January 2015. Since late November, The University of Cambridge teamed up with EY, the global professional services organization, and launched the European Alternative Finance Benchmarking Survey with the support of major European industry associations. As readers may know, this is the largest study to date on… Read More