Crowdfunding is a method of raising funds for projects or ventures by collecting small amounts of money from a large number of individuals or organizations using online platforms. The document discusses several business models for individuals and companies to make money from crowdfunding, including starting a crowdfunding platform, providing payment processing services, offering consulting services, or developing the necessary IT infrastructure. The key advantages of starting a crowdfunding platform are reducing legal and IT costs while also gaining access to potential investors and publicity opportunities.