Territorial social capital: an illustration of the constituent elements of the “crowd” as part of a crowdfunding campaign
Fundraising through a crowdfunding campaign generates new mechanisms for collection strategies. In this contribution, the notions of social capital and territorial capital are more particularly studied. The purpose of this research is to identify the main mechanisms that can explain the willingness of individuals, outside the family circle and the friendly circle, to finance entrepreneurial projects. With this in mind, the study of the L’Effet Bocal grocery store – an unpackaged grocery store located in the French city of Poitiers – serves as a base for our discussion. In support of this case study, we show that, when it comes to crowdfunding with an entrepreneurial purpose, the notion of territory seems to persist. And this, despite the removal of technical and geographical barriers that induces the broader dynamics of crowdsourcing.