These 14 startups let you rent everything from bulldozers to Cartier jewelry - and show how VCs are betting big on the Rent the Runway mentality

• The share economy is booming, with giants like Airbnb and Rent the Runway as well as a long list of smaller startups targeting specific markets.
• From construction equipment and RVs to party supplies and luxury jewelry, consumers have the ability to rent almost anything. Some of these startups are peer-to-peer, while others offer an inventory of rentable items.
• We took a look at 15 startups and their VC backers in the share economy.
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Rent the Runway has shoppers renting everything from high-end designer clothes to everyday staples, and Airbnb lets users share entire homes or even spare rooms.

Similar apps and websites have sprung up all around the country offering digital-forward twists on the not-so-new business of renting second-hand items.

Be it for cost, convenience, or storage constraints, US consumers are getting used to the idea of sharing through both peer-to-peer platforms and direct-to-consumer sites.

While some offer users the option to buy their rented items, many of the brands say they're helping consumers shop more sustainably by sharing things they may only use once or twice.

Here's a look at 14 startups that are changing the way consumers think about shopping - and the VC money that's backing them. It's all a bigger part of how we buy and pay is quickly changing.