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1 – 10 of over 1000
Article
Publication date: 28 March 2023

Jing Wu, Ling Liu and Yu Cao

Considering the unique characteristics of equity crowdfunding platforms including the removal of stringent structural barriers (e.g. lack of co-location), high visibility and…

Abstract

Purpose

Considering the unique characteristics of equity crowdfunding platforms including the removal of stringent structural barriers (e.g. lack of co-location), high visibility and traceability of investor characteristics, large pool of available investors and simplified transaction process, the authors aim to examine how the two most prevalent mechanisms (i.e. homophily and repeated ties) unfold in this context by incorporating the contextual characteristics. The authors theorize an inverted U-shaped relationship between leader-backer similarity and the likelihood of co-investment in a syndicate on equity crowdfunding platforms. In addition, a leader–backer dyad is more likely to form new syndicates if the students have more prior co-investment ties.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical study is based on data from the AngelList syndicate platform and a linear probability model (LPM) with fixed effects is adopted to estimate the syndicate formation.

Findings

The authors find that the similarity between a leader and a backer has an inverted U-shaped relationship with the leader and backer's likelihood of co-investment in a syndicate, which is different from the dominant homophily-based tie formation in venture capital (VC) syndicates and other digital platform contexts. Although equity crowdfunding platforms encourage the possibility of exploring new partners, investors are more likely to co-invest with others who have stronger prior ties.

Originality/value

This research theoretically contributes to the scant literature of equity crowdfunding syndicates by contextualizing two most prevalent mechanisms (i.e. homophily and repeated ties) driving tie formation in VC syndicates and digital platforms.

Details

Industrial Management & Data Systems, vol. 123 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-5577

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 August 2022

Ali Abdallah Alalwan, Abdullah M. Baabdullah, Joma Omran Mahfod, Paul Jones, Anshuman Sharma and Yogesh K. Dwivedi

The crowdfunding concept and activities have recently been the focus of attention of many researchers and practitioners over different business contexts. However, there is a…

Abstract

Purpose

The crowdfunding concept and activities have recently been the focus of attention of many researchers and practitioners over different business contexts. However, there is a dearth of literature considering the main aspects of e-equity crowdfunding activities and their impact on the innovation performance for entrepreneurial business. Therefore, this study aims to explore how entrepreneurs' engagement in e-crowdfunding activities could enhance both knowledge acquisition and innovation performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The conceptual model will be proposed based on three main theoretical perspectives: relationship marketing orientation (RMO); Kirzner's alertness theory; and the DeLone and McLean model of information systems. The data of the current study were collected using an online questionnaire from a sample of 500 entrepreneurs who have actively engaged in e-crowdfunding in Saudi Arabia.

Findings

The statistical results of structural equation modelling (SEM) approved the impacting role of RMO, entrepreneurial alertness, system quality and service quality on the entrepreneurs' engagement in e-equity crowdfunding, which in turn, predicts both knowledge acquisition and innovation performance.

Research limitations/implications

There are several limitations which could be addressed in future studies, for example, this study has only considered one form of crowdfunding (equity based crowdfunding) and due to its nature these findings would not be easily generalized to other kinds of crowdfunding (i.e. donation-based crowdfunding; rewards-based crowdfunding; and debt-based crowdfunding). Future studies could consider these kinds of crowdfunding activities.

Originality/value

This study has contributed to the understanding of e-equity crowdfunding in several aspects. For example, this study presents results that assist both researchers and practitioners in the Middle East and Saudi Arabia to develop an in-depth knowledge of e-equity crowdfunding by considering new dimensions such as RMO and information system success factors.

Details

European Journal of Innovation Management, vol. 27 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1460-1060

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 February 2020

Enrico Battisti, Fabio Creta and Nicola Miglietta

This paper gathers initial evidence about the nature and features of the equity crowdfunding model in Italy, especially in terms of regulations. The purpose of this study is to…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper gathers initial evidence about the nature and features of the equity crowdfunding model in Italy, especially in terms of regulations. The purpose of this study is to examine how equity crowdfunding might support the real estate sector in Italy.

Design/methodology/approach

To explore the recent initiatives in the development of FinTech in Italy, especially referring to equity crowdfunding’s instrument, a qualitative perspective is used. In particular, this paper relies on primary data from regulations and secondary data from the public domain, which are examined in relation to the current literature.

Findings

The results of this study show that equity crowdfunding represents a funding method that is rapidly increasing in Italy, despite rather rigid regulation. Among the various sectors involved, the real estate sector could benefit from the crowdfunding models and, specifically, from the equity one. The development of new real estate equity crowdfunding portals that allow diversification of investment (by reducing the typical entry barriers for real estate investment) could guarantee greater investment transparency and simplicity.

Practical implications

Real estate crowdfunding can be a simple way to invest in the real estate industry. Thanks to the use of technology, specifically internet-based platforms, this type of crowdfunding allows for small investors, as well as professional investors, to access an asset class otherwise not open to small investment tickets and improve the diversification of investments.

Originality/value

Although recent literature has examined the concept of crowdfunding and highlighted different models, aspects and campaigns, no prior studies, to the authors’ knowledge, have explicitly and jointly investigated, also based on the state of art of regulation, the equity crowdfunding model and the real estate sector in Italy.

Details

Journal of Financial Regulation and Compliance, vol. 28 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1358-1988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 August 2015

Alexandra Moritz, Joern Block and Eva Lutz

This study’s aim is to investigate the role of investor communication in equity-based crowdfunding. The study explores whether and how investor communication can reduce…

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Abstract

Purpose

This study’s aim is to investigate the role of investor communication in equity-based crowdfunding. The study explores whether and how investor communication can reduce information asymmetries between investors and new ventures in equity-based crowdfunding, thereby facilitating the crowd’s investment decisions.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper follows an exploratory qualitative research approach based on semi-structured interviews with 23 market participants in equity-based crowdfunding: 12 investors, 6 new ventures and 5 third parties (mostly platform operators). After analyzing, coding and categorizing the data, this paper developed a theoretical framework and presented it in a set of six propositions.

Findings

The results indicate that the venture’s overall impression – especially perceived sympathy, openness and trustworthiness – is important to reduce perceived information asymmetries of investors in equity-based crowdfunding. To communicate these soft facts, personal communication seems to be replaced by pseudo-personal communication over the Internet (e.g. videos, investor relations channels and social media). In addition, the communications of third parties (e.g. other crowd investors, professional and experienced investors and other external stakeholders) influence the decision-making process of investors in equity-based crowdfunding. Third-party endorsements reduce the perceived information asymmetries and lower the importance of pseudo-personal communications by the venture.

Originality/value

Prior research shows that investor communication reduces information asymmetries between companies and investors. Currently, little is known about the role of investor communication in equity-based crowdfunding. This study focuses on the role of investor communication to reduce the perceived information asymmetries of investors in equity-based crowdfunding.

Details

Qualitative Research in Financial Markets, vol. 7 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1755-4179

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 5 July 2021

Antonella Francesca Cicchiello, Amirreza Kazemikhasragh and Stefano Monferra

Women’s entrepreneurial activity can significantly impact economic and social development globally, particularly in developing countries. The significant challenges…

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Abstract

Purpose

Women’s entrepreneurial activity can significantly impact economic and social development globally, particularly in developing countries. The significant challenges entrepreneurial women face draw the attention of researchers and policymakers. This paper aims to analyse the impact of gender disparity on the likelihood of obtaining equity financing through crowdfunding. The equity crowdfunding industry was selected because it is a non-traditional financial market where gender bias may act differently for women.

Design/methodology/approach

To investigate the relationship between gender and equity financing through crowdfunding, this paper applies ordinary least squares regression. The analysis is based on a unique data set of 492 equity crowdfunding campaigns launched between 2013 and 2017 on all existing platforms in Brazil, Chile and Mexico.

Findings

The analysis reveals that the involvement of at least one woman on the board of firms seeking equity financing increases campaign success rates in terms of the investors’ average pledge, the target amount reached at the end of the campaign and the percentage raised at the end of the campaign exceeding the initial fundraising goal. Altogether, this suggests that equity crowdfunding campaigns should be based on gender equality in the firms’ boards. The research finds evidence that there is no gender disparity in the likelihood of a campaign being financed by a greater number of investors.

Practical implications

These findings have implications for Latin American female entrepreneurs when selecting funding sources and policymakers when defining political actions to remove the barriers at the root of this historic inequality in female entrepreneurs’ access to finance.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this document analyses the gender disparity in the Latin American equity crowdfunding market, shedding light on women’s access to crowdfunding financing for the first time.

Details

Gender in Management: An International Journal , vol. 36 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1754-2413

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 September 2021

Valentina Ndou, Paola Scorrano, Gioconda Mele and Pasquale Stefanizzi

The wide development of digital platforms permitted the birth of new financing modalities, namely, crowdfunding, where the crowd of individuals and investors can supply the…

Abstract

Purpose

The wide development of digital platforms permitted the birth of new financing modalities, namely, crowdfunding, where the crowd of individuals and investors can supply the necessary financial resources for venture creation and growth. While the extant literature has focused on analyzing the dynamics and features of crowdfunding campaigns, few studies have focused on understanding how crowd investors decide which ventures to invest in and which factors influence their decision-making process. Due to this gap, the purpose of this paper is to analyze the factors influencing the choice to invest in an equity crowdfunding campaign, by defining a set of indicators useful to evaluate the risk of the campaign.

Design/methodology/approach

An empirical research study of Italian equity crowdfunding campaigns has been conducted to identify quantitative indicators useful for evaluating the risk in a crowdfunding campaign.

Findings

Findings demonstrate that the risk indicators proposed to represent important gauges that investors can usefully consider ex ante to assess the degree of riskiness of the investment in the equity crowdfunding campaign.

Research limitations/implications

The limitations of the study regarding the size of the sample that is small due to the necessity to extract enough information in pre and post-equity campaigns. Also, the lack of historical data is another limitation.

Originality/value

The originality of the studies relies on the proposal of quantitative indicators for the evaluation of the risk in equity crowdfunding campaigns for “crowd” investors to reduce information asymmetries.

Details

Meditari Accountancy Research, vol. 30 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2049-372X

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 11 January 2023

Giuseppe Valenza, Marco Balzano, Mario Tani and Andrea Caputo

This paper aims to contribute to the scientific debate concerning the impact of equity crowdfunding on the performance of crowdfunded firms after campaigning. To this aim, the…

2007

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to contribute to the scientific debate concerning the impact of equity crowdfunding on the performance of crowdfunded firms after campaigning. To this aim, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between the characteristics of the campaign and the subsequent firm innovativeness.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts a quantitative research approach to evaluate if the entrepreneurial choices affecting the characteristics of the equity crowdfunding campaigns have an impact on the post-campaign firm innovativeness.

Findings

The results of the models show that the campaign characteristics have a direct impact on the firm innovativeness, both in terms of offering and communication and the campaign performance.

Originality/value

This paper presents one of the first studies to investigate the relationship between the choice of campaign characteristics and the post-campaign firm innovativeness. As such, the study contributes to both the literature concerning start-up innovation and the literature about the impact of equity crowdfunding.

Details

European Journal of Innovation Management, vol. 26 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1460-1060

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 December 2022

Yilong Zheng, Yiru Wang and Sarfraz A. Mian

Tracking trends in new technology funding patterns is essential for venture scaling. The emerging advanced digital technologies (ADT) such as virtual reality (VR), artificial…

Abstract

Purpose

Tracking trends in new technology funding patterns is essential for venture scaling. The emerging advanced digital technologies (ADT) such as virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain and Internet-of-things (IoT) promote business innovation adaptations, and in turn, reshape the industrial landscape. To attract nascent funding for such prospective projects among the public, well-articulated project pitches that are equipped with effective marketing communication convey the projects' importance and marketability. Specifically, when the entrepreneurs and the crowdfunding platform users interact via different types of crowdfunding platforms, pitch framing, including the signaling of ADT terms, project location and fundraising goal, becomes imperative to help facilitate crowdfunding success.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on data collected from six leading US-based equity and reward-based crowdfunding platforms in 2020, an empirical study was performed. Using the text analysis approach, the authors examined the positive effects of incorporating technology orientation on crowdfunding success. While the effect between the project description's signaling of geographic location, fundraising goal and articulation style on fundraising success, while controlling for project and platform characteristics.

Findings

The results suggested that the technology-orientated projects are more likely to achieve better fundraising outcomes. Taking crowdfunding platform types, project locations, minimum fundraising goals and articulation with analytical and authentic into consideration, the results still hold.

Originality/value

Building on the theoretical framework of signaling theory, the authors consider the crowdfunding-specific contextual factors to enhance the understanding of the positivity impact of technology orientation. By such addition, it facilitates more effective strategic composition of entrepreneurs' fundraising conversations.

Details

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2554

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 October 2022

Edoardo Crocco, Elisa Giacosa, Dorra Yahiaoui and Francesca Culasso

Crowdfunding platforms are important innovations that allow nascent entrepreneurs to gain access to financial resources and crowd inputs to better refine and develop their…

Abstract

Purpose

Crowdfunding platforms are important innovations that allow nascent entrepreneurs to gain access to financial resources and crowd inputs to better refine and develop their business idea. The purpose of this paper is to investigate user-generated content (UGC) from both reward-based and equity-based crowdfunding platforms, in order to determine its implications for open and user innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

A total sample of 200 most funded technology products was extracted from four distinct crowdfunding platforms. A latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) analysis was performed in an attempt to identify critical latent factors. The analysis was carried out through the theoretical lens of innovation literature, in an attempt to uncover the implications for open and user innovation.

Findings

The authors were able to highlight the implications of crowd inputs for open and user innovation, as backers provided nascent entrepreneurs with several types of feedback, ranging from product co-development to strategy and marketing. Furthermore, the study provided an overview of the key differences emerging between reward-based and equity-based crowdfunding platforms in terms of crowd inputs.

Research limitations/implications

The present study features intrinsic limitations of the LDA approach being adopted. More specifically, it only provides a “snapshot” in time of the current sample, rather than investigating its development over time.

Practical implications

The present study solidifies the value of UGC as a resource to mine for trends and feedback.

Originality/value

The study contributes to both the innovation literature and the crowdfunding literature. It bridges several gaps found in both literature streams, by providing empirical evidence to test and verify pre-existing exploratory research.

Details

European Journal of Innovation Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1460-1060

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 February 2021

Bree Dority, Sarah J. Borchers and Suzanne K. Hayes

This study aims to investigate how the language used in US Title II equity crowdfunding campaign descriptions relates to campaign success.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate how the language used in US Title II equity crowdfunding campaign descriptions relates to campaign success.

Design/methodology/approach

Data on >3,200 equity offerings from 12 Title II platforms was obtained from 2013 to 2016. The aspects of the campaign descriptions that are focused on are tone and two measures of readability: information quantity – the amount of information available to the investor and information quality – the ease of understanding of the passage of text. Tobit regressions with sector-clustered standard errors are used for estimation while controlling for company-specific variables, market sentiment and platform, regional, sector and time effects. Results are robust to alternative estimation approaches.

Findings

Inverse U-shaped relationships exist between information quantity, information quality and tone and Title II equity crowdfunding campaign success. Overall, less is more as it appears that an intermediate level of information – quantity, quality and tone – is optimal in terms of being a factor that contributes to equity crowdfunding campaign success.

Originality/value

Extends the use of textual analysis to the equity crowdfunding environment in the USA where such analysis is lacking and provides empirical evidence that the language used (e.g. sentiment) in US Title II equity-based crowdfunding campaign descriptions does influence campaign success. It provides empirical evidence of and extends the concept of information overload to the entrepreneurial finance sub-field and indicates tone may be an additional information attribute to consider in this context as contributing to overload.

Details

Studies in Economics and Finance, vol. 38 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1086-7376

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 1000