THE BUSINESS MODEL OF STARTUPS FINANCED THROUGH PRE-ORDERING CROWDFUNDING

This dissertation begins with an overview on the crowdfunding phenomenon and a distinction among the different types, followed by an analysis of the global trends and a literature review of the different interpretations of the concept of business model. The attention is then focused on pre-ordering crowdfunding as a financing method for start-ups. The innovative aspect of the study is the use of the concept of business model applied to pre-ordering crowdfunding: the Business Model Canvas is used first to describe in general the business model of start-ups financed through pre-ordering crowdfunding, and then to analyse a single case, the one of the start-up Gingko, that raised funds with a crowdfunding campaign on the platform Indiegogo.

Questo lavoro espone in primo luogo il fenomeno del crowdfunding con una panoramica sulle sue diverse tipologie; segue un’analisi dei trend globali e un confronto tra le varie interpretazioni del concetto di business model emerse dalla letteratura. L'attenzione viene infine focalizzata sul pre-ordering crowdfunding come strumento di finanziamento per le start-up. L’aspetto innovativo dello studio riguarda l'uso del concetto di business model applicato al pre-ordering crowdfunding: il Business Model Canvas viene impiegato prima per descrivere in generale il business model delle start-up che si finanziano tramite pre-ordering crowdfunding, poi per trattare un caso specifico, quello della stat-up Ginkgo, finanziatasi con una campagna di crowdfunding sulla piattaforma Indiegogo.