Glossary

The company address is the official business address of a company and primarily serves as the legal location for the delivery of business mail and entry in the commercial register. Often the address of a virtual office or a letterbox company is used for this purpose, especially if the company does not carry out any physical business activities at this location. A company address is essential for formal business registration and ensures that the company has a fixed contact address for legal and official purposes.

Freelancers are self-employed professionals who work on a project-based or fee-based basis for various clients. Often organised via virtual offices or occasionally letterbox companies, they offer their services independently without being permanently integrated into the company. Freelancers are particularly well represented in areas such as consulting, design, IT and content creation and offer companies a high degree of flexibility, as no permanent employment is required. This form of work offers both sides the advantages of specialised services and individually adaptable working agreements.

The funding amount refers to the financial sum that a supporter or investor invests in a crowdfunding project. This amount can vary and is often are linked to different reward levels or investment conditions. In reward-based crowdfunding, for example, supporters receive different rewards depending on the funding amount, while in equity-based crowdfunding, higher contributions often secure larger shares or rights in the company. The funding amount is therefore a central element for financing projects and motivates supporters through customisable investment opportunities.

A financing model describes the systematic structure and conditions according to which financial resources are collected for a project and later distributed. In the area of crowdfunding, there are There are various models that differ in terms of their respective investment conditions and risk aspects. These include, among others: Reward-based crowdfunding: Supporters receive a consideration or reward for their financial support, for example in the form of product prototypes. Equity-based crowdfunding: Investors receive shares in the company and therefore participate directly in the company's success or loss. Lending-based crowdfunding: Supporters act as lenders and receive the invested money back with interest. These different models enable targeted financing depending on the type of project and the needs of the investors.

The funding limit is the maximum amount of funding that is set for a crowdfunding project. This upper limit serves to clearly define the financing framework and to ensure a to avoid overfunding the project. As soon as the funding limit is reached, no more money is usually accepted. The limit ensures that only the funds required for the project are collected, thereby maintaining transparency and trust with supporters.

The funding threshold is the minimum amount that a crowdfunding campaign must raise in order to guarantee the realisation of a project. This threshold is set in advance of the campaign and serves as a target to secure the financial basis for project development. If the funding threshold is not reached, the project is deemed unsuccessful in most cases, which means that supporters are refunded the amounts they have paid in. The funding threshold is therefore an essential element in crowdfunding in order to minimise risks and clearly define the feasibility of a project.

Deposit protection is a protective measure that ensures that investors' funds are protected up to a certain amount in the event that the company in which they have invested becomes insolvent. goes. In traditional banks, deposit protection is regulated by law and protects savings up to a certain amount. In the crowdfunding sector, however, there is no mandatory deposit protection; some platforms offer voluntary protection mechanisms to provide investors with more security. Such security measures can be realised, for example, through special insurance policies or reserve funds that refund part of the investment in the event of insolvency. It is important for investors to check the deposit protection conditions of the respective platform before investing, as crowdfunding generally harbours a higher risk of loss than traditional bank investments. Deposit protection offers an additional layer of protection here, but does not provide comprehensive protection against losses.

An e-commerce office service is a virtual service that is specifically tailored to the needs of e-commerce companies and outsources administrative tasks. This service takes on tasks such as processing mail, answering and forwarding customer calls, organising appointments and handling returns. E-commerce office services offer small and medium-sized online retailers in particular the advantage of being able to concentrate on their core business while routine tasks are handled by experienced service providers. This type of service is particularly valuable for companies without their own office infrastructure, as it can provide a professional external image as well as a fixed business address. By using e-commerce office services, companies can not only save costs, but also increase customer satisfaction and the efficiency of their business processes.

Income from capital assets are gains realised from the investment of capital and include dividends, interest and capital gains from securities. This includes Income generated by investments in companies as part of equity crowdfunding is also taxable. This income is taxable in many countries and is often subject to capital gains tax. In the case of investments in forms of participation such as shares or equity crowdfunding, income from capital assets can arise from dividends or from the sale of company shares in the event of an exit. Capital gains are generally subject to final withholding tax, which means that a fixed tax is levied directly on the income. In Germany, for example, the flat tax rate on capital gains is 25 %, plus solidarity surcharge and church tax if applicable. Income from capital assets is therefore an important factor that investors must take into account when planning and assessing their financial returns.

An entity is a separate legal entity that is recognised as a legal person and can act independently. This includes companies, organisations, corporations or special purpose entities. Constructs such as letterbox companies. An entity has the ability to enter into contracts, incur liabilities and participate in business activities independently of the natural persons who manage or own it. In the business and legal context, an entity often serves to separate personal and corporate assets and responsibilities. Letterbox companies, for example, are entities that often exist without a physical presence in a country and are frequently used for administrative purposes or tax advantages. Entities play an important role in the globalised economy as they enable companies to operate in different jurisdictions and optimise legal and tax structures.