Comparative Analysis Study of Selected Alternative Finance

Abstract

Alternative finance industry is considered as an industry with various financial channels that have a position outside of the traditional financial system. Currently, the alternative finance market is emerging the economy. This article presents an analysis of two alternative finance tools, crowdfunding and venture capital. The analysis is a part of a larger research project which is focused on the alternative finance market. As the topic itself is quite new, the paper focuses first on the identification of the theoretical background. A comprehensive theoretical review follows, a study investigating selected aspects and the position of these alternative finance tools on markets is provided. A comparative study was conducted using data mapping several important areas related to venture capital and crowdfunding investment. The results of the analysis provide an answer to the question what the position of the discussed alternative finance instruments within the Czech market is in comparison to selected EU countries and open questions for further research.