but crowdfunding as the way to channel masses of money outside the banks, that is also not what economist Mathijs Bouman sees happening. “Then you talk about risk capital and then that typical informal character of crowdfunding disappears. If the amounts become larger, the self-interest also becomes larger. And money and self-interest are ultimately made for each other,” according to Bouman.
In addition, to achieve turnovers of ten million or more, the platforms will have to focus on established entrepreneurs anyway, according to Duffhues, but "they have too great a need for capital. For that, they will continue to rely on the traditional savings and capital markets," according to Duffhues.
Small amounts
Crowdfunding should be about small amounts, says Bart Lacroix, founder of the brother cell phone list 1%CLUB, a marketplace for private initiatives in developing countries. On his platform, project owners can ask the crowd for a maximum of five thousand euros. “The smaller the amount, the faster it goes,” he sees. “People want to see the impact of a contribution, and that is more visible with small amounts. Moreover,” he continues, “I don’t see an investor transferring a large amount to a crowdfunding platform with a few clicks. You want to know who you are investing your money in, don’t you?”