It worked for me. In the beginning, raising money for my startup was tough going. I pitched dozens of middle-aged men on the unique value of my dating app, in which members play games to assess personality and compatibility. When I stepped into the room without my male co-founder, I found it very difficult to encourage them to invest. And when he and I went to meetings together, they focused their attention on him.

Luckily, there was another option: Equity crowdfunding.

Image: Vana Koutsomitis raised money for her startup via equity crowdfunding.