Though crowdfunding may seem like a relatively buzzy phenomenon given the emergence of digital platforms, it’s actually an age-old financial model dating back to the 1800s.
“They crowdfunded the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty over 100 years ago,” says expert consultant Sally Outlaw. “(Joseph) Pulitzer went to the crowd and said we need a dollar per person, and 100,000 people gave a dollar.”
Â
