Following his studies in sociology, business and entrepreneurship at Erasmus University Rotterdam, Korstiaan became involved in several high-growth internationally oriented start-ups. In 2011 Korstiaan founded one of the world's first equity crowdfunding platforms, known as Symbid (www.symbid.com).  Symbid has since grown into The Funding Network™, where companies get funded and grow. As a leading online funding portal for start-ups and small businesses, Symbid gives entrepreneurs direct access to traditional and alternative forms of finance, while offering investors full transparency on the potential risks and returns of their portfolio. Our advanced investing, monitoring and data tools ensure companies connecting to The Funding Network are financed in the most efficient way possible. Built around cutting-edge technology and expert financial advice, The Funding Network by Symbid is the go-to platform for entrepreneurs in search of funding and investors in search of exciting opportunities. In December 2013, Korstiaan oversaw the successful release of Symbid to the U.S. via OTC Markets [SBID] at which point Symbid became the first publicly listed crowdfunding platform worldwide (www.symbidcorp.com). The total funding volume of The Funding Network is over $40 million per month. Tens of thousands of private (crowdfunding) investors and over 50 institutional investors are already connected to The Funding Network. Korstiaan is personally involved in several initiatives aimed at improving the investment eligibility of SMEs on a national and international scale. In addition to co-founding Kredietpaspoort (www.kredietpaspoort.nl), launched in collaboration with the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs in 2014, Korstiaan is involved as an investor and advisor in online valuation software vendor Equidam (www.equidam.com ). A frequent speaker at conferences and corporate events, Korstiaan is internationally recognised as an authority in the field of alternative finance."