Editorial of the Special Issue on “Financial Resources for SMEs: From Bank Loans to Venture Capitalist Support. The Old and the New Ways to Raise Capital for Smaller Firms”

The economic-financial crisis of 2007/2008 changed the relationship between small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and conventional investors (banks and other intermediaries). In this new scenario, SMEs must enlarge the channels to raise capital. Therefore, new investors and small companies are talking, and in this way, it is possible to assist a change in the relations with investors. The new sources of finance for smaller enterprises include a variety of equity investors and a wide spectrum of public and private funding sources