IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/riibaf/v73y2025ipas0275531924003258.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The use of positive language in equity crowdfunding pitches and fundraising success: The moderating role of punctuation

Author

Listed:
  • Gallucci, Carmen
  • Salvi, Antonio
  • Santulli, Rosalia
  • Tipaldi, Riccardo

Abstract

This paper investigates the relationship between positive language use in equity crowdfunding pitches and fundraising outcomes, with a focus on the moderating role of punctuation. By analyzing 772 campaigns across 25 platforms in France, Israel, Italy, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, the study provides evidence of an inverted U-shaped relationship. Results, framed within signaling theory, reveal that while initial positive language boosts equity collection among backers, further use beyond the inflection point leads to worsening fundraising outcomes. Additionally, punctuation dampens the initial positive effects of positive language use and mitigates the negative returns associated with further positive language use. The paper discusses theoretical implications for academia and practical implications for practitioners and policymakers.

Suggested Citation

  • Gallucci, Carmen & Salvi, Antonio & Santulli, Rosalia & Tipaldi, Riccardo, 2025. "The use of positive language in equity crowdfunding pitches and fundraising success: The moderating role of punctuation," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(PA).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:riibaf:v:73:y:2025:i:pa:s0275531924003258
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ribaf.2024.102532
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0275531924003258
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ribaf.2024.102532?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Pérez-Castro, Miguel Ángel & Mohamed-Maslouhi, Miriem & Montero-Alonso, Miguel Ángel, 2021. "The digital divide and its impact on the development of Mediterranean countries," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    2. Evila Piva & Cristina Rossi-Lamastra, 2018. "Human capital signals and entrepreneurs’ success in equity crowdfunding," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 51(3), pages 667-686, October.
    3. Tajvarpour, Mohammad Hossein & Pujari, Devashish, 2022. "The influence of narrative description on the success of crowdfunding campaigns: The moderating role of quality signals," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 123-138.
    4. Mi (Jamie) Zhou & Baozhou Lu & Weiguo (Patrick) Fan & G. Alan Wang, 2018. "Project description and crowdfunding success: an exploratory study," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 20(2), pages 259-274, April.
    5. Jörn Block & Lars Hornuf & Alexandra Moritz, 2018. "Which updates during an equity crowdfunding campaign increase crowd participation?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 50(1), pages 3-27, January.
    6. Johan, Sofia & Zhang, Yelin, 2020. "Quality revealing versus overstating in equity crowdfunding," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    7. Peter Gomber & Jascha-Alexander Koch & Michael Siering, 2017. "Digital Finance and FinTech: current research and future research directions," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 87(5), pages 537-580, July.
    8. Masatoshi Fujii & Chie Hosomi & Yoshiaki Nose, 2021. "Equity crowdfunding and financial literacy of individual investors in Japan," Journal of Capital Markets Studies, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 5(1), pages 5-27, July.
    9. Barbi, Massimiliano & Mattioli, Sara, 2019. "Human capital, investor trust, and equity crowdfunding," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 1-12.
    10. Douglas Cumming & Michele Meoli & Silvio Vismara, 2021. "Does equity crowdfunding democratize entrepreneurial finance?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 56(2), pages 533-552, February.
    11. Zhou, Zhongsheng & Li, Zhuo, 2023. "Corporate digital transformation and trade credit financing," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    12. Giulio Cornelli & Sebastian Doerr & Leonardo Gambacorta & Ouarda Merrouche, 2020. "Inside the regulatory sandbox: effects on fintech funding," BIS Working Papers 901, Bank for International Settlements.
    13. Mojca Svetek, 2022. "Signaling in the context of early-stage equity financing: review and directions," Venture Capital, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(1), pages 71-104, January.
    14. Simon Kleinert, 2024. "The Promise of New Ventures’ Growth Ambitions in Early-Stage Funding: On the Crossroads between Cheap Talk and Credible Signals," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 48(1), pages 274-309, January.
    15. George Loewenstein & Cass R. Sunstein & Russell Golman, 2014. "Disclosure: Psychology Changes Everything," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 6(1), pages 391-419, August.
    16. Jaradat, Maram & Jibreel, Manal & Skaik, Huda, 2020. "Individuals' perceptions of technology and its relationship with ambition, unemployment, loneliness and insomnia in the Gulf," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    17. Jin, Xianzhe & Li, Jingnan & Gao, Jijun, 2022. "Joint effect of linguistic style and ethnicity on entrepreneurial fundraising: Evidence from equity crowdfunding," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    18. Li, Xin & Chang, Yubo, 2018. "Non-uniform interpolatory subdivision surface," Applied Mathematics and Computation, Elsevier, vol. 324(C), pages 239-253.
    19. Norbert Steigenberger & Hendrik Wilhelm, 2018. "Extending Signaling Theory to Rhetorical Signals: Evidence from Crowdfunding," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 29(3), pages 529-546, June.
    20. Yan Luo & Linying Zhou, 2020. "Textual tone in corporate financial disclosures: a survey of the literature," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 17(2), pages 101-110, September.
    21. Walthoff-Borm, Xavier & Schwienbacher, Armin & Vanacker, Tom, 2018. "Equity crowdfunding: First resort or last resort?," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 513-533.
    22. Vismara, Silvio, 2019. "Sustainability in equity crowdfunding," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 98-106.
    23. Julian Bafera & Simon Kleinert, 2023. "Signaling Theory in Entrepreneurship Research: A Systematic Review and Research Agenda," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 47(6), pages 2419-2464, November.
    24. Kazem Mochkabadi & Christine K. Volkmann, 2020. "Equity crowdfunding: a systematic review of the literature," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 54(1), pages 75-118, January.
    25. Vulkan, Nir & Åstebro, Thomas & Sierra, Manuel Fernandez, 2016. "Equity crowdfunding: A new phenomena," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 5(C), pages 37-49.
    26. Barbi, Massimiliano & Bigelli, Marco, 2017. "Crowdfunding practices in and outside the US," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 208-223.
    27. Georgios A. Panos & John O. S. Wilson, 2020. "Financial literacy and responsible finance in the FinTech era: capabilities and challenges," The European Journal of Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(4-5), pages 297-301, March.
    28. Gerrit K.C. Ahlers & Douglas Cumming & Christina Günther & Denis Schweizer, 2015. "Signaling in Equity Crowdfunding," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 39(4), pages 955-980, July.
    29. Bollaert, Helen & Lopez-de-Silanes, Florencio & Schwienbacher, Armin, 2021. "Fintech and access to finance," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    30. Kourosh Shafi, 2021. "Investors’ evaluation criteria in equity crowdfunding," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 56(1), pages 3-37, January.
    31. Anglin, Aaron H. & Short, Jeremy C. & Drover, Will & Stevenson, Regan M. & McKenny, Aaron F. & Allison, Thomas H., 2018. "The power of positivity? The influence of positive psychological capital language on crowdfunding performance," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 470-492.
    32. Bree Dority & Sarah J. Borchers & Suzanne K. Hayes, 2021. "Equity crowdfunding: US Title II offerings using sentiment analysis," Studies in Economics and Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 38(4), pages 807-835, February.
    33. Christopher Courtney & Supradeep Dutta & Yong Li, 2017. "Resolving Information Asymmetry: Signaling, Endorsement, and Crowdfunding Success," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 41(2), pages 265-290, March.
    34. Tim Loughran & Bill Mcdonald, 2011. "When Is a Liability Not a Liability? Textual Analysis, Dictionaries, and 10‐Ks," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 66(1), pages 35-65, February.
    35. Silvio Vismara, 2016. "Equity retention and social network theory in equity crowdfunding," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 46(4), pages 579-590, April.
    36. Chandler, Jeffrey A. & Short, Jeremy C. & Wolfe, Marcus T., 2021. "Finding the crowd after exogenous shocks: Exploring the future of crowdfunding," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 15(C).
    37. Chan, C.S. Richard & Parhankangas, Annaleena & Sahaym, Arvin & Oo, Pyayt, 2020. "Bellwether and the herd? Unpacking the u-shaped relationship between prior funding and subsequent contributions in reward-based crowdfunding," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 35(2).
    38. Derek Eldridge & Tahir M. Nisar & Mariateresa Torchia, 2021. "What impact does equity crowdfunding have on SME innovation and growth? An empirical study," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 56(1), pages 105-120, January.
    39. Sun, Guanglin & Li, Ting & Ai, Yongfang & Li, Qinghai, 2023. "Digital finance and corporate financial fraud," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    40. Michael Spence, 1973. "Job Market Signaling," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 87(3), pages 355-374.
    41. Rosangela Feola & Massimiliano Vesci & Ezio Marinato & Roberto Parente, 2021. "Segmenting “digital investors”: evidence from the Italian equity crowdfunding market," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 56(3), pages 1235-1250, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Gallucci, Carmen & Giakoumelou, Anastasia & Santulli, Rosalia & Tipaldi, Riccardo, 2023. "How financial literacy moderates the relationship between qualitative business information and the success of an equity crowdfunding campaign: Evidence from Mediterranean and Gulf Cooperation Council ," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    2. Lars Hornuf & Johannes Voshaar, 2024. "What Is an Effective Signal in Crowdfunding? Evidence from Expert Researchers and a Meta-Study," CESifo Working Paper Series 11501, CESifo.
    3. Mataigne, Virginie & Meoli, Michele & Vanacker, Tom & Vismara, Silvio, 2025. "False signaling by platform team members and post-campaign venture outcomes: Evidence from an equity crowdfunding platform," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 40(1).
    4. KURIHARA Koki & HONJO Yuji, 2022. "Determinants of Campaign Success: Empirical evidence from equity crowdfunding in Japan," Discussion papers 22057, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    5. Saul Estrin & Susanna Khavul & Mike Wright, 2022. "Soft and hard information in equity crowdfunding: network effects in the digitalization of entrepreneurial finance," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 58(4), pages 1761-1781, April.
    6. Enrico Battisti & Ciro Troise & Antonio Salvi & Michael Christofi, 2024. "Decoding the success of equity crowdfunding: investment decisions of professional and non-professional investors," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 18(12), pages 3545-3573, December.
    7. Pau Sendra-Pons & Dolores Garzón & María-Ángeles Revilla-Camacho, 2024. "Catalyzing success in equity crowdfunding: trust-building strategies through signaling," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 18(9), pages 2699-2721, September.
    8. Shuangfa Huang & David Pickernell & Martina Battisti & Thang Nguyen, 2022. "Signalling entrepreneurs’ credibility and project quality for crowdfunding success: cases from the Kickstarter and Indiegogo environments," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 58(4), pages 1801-1821, April.
    9. Ciro Troise & Guido Giovando & Fauzia Jabeen & Stefano Bresciani, 2024. "Unveiling the role of entrepreneurial teams in the equity crowdfunding journey," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 63(4), pages 1517-1538, December.
    10. Lukkarinen, Anna & Schwienbacher, Armin, 2023. "Secondary market listings in equity crowdfunding: The missing link?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(1).
    11. Vincenzo Butticè & Francesca Pietro & Francesca Tenca, 2022. "They do not look alike: what kind of private investors do equity crowdfunded firms attract?," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(6), pages 1707-1736, December.
    12. Michael E. Cummings & Hans Rawhouser & Silvio Vismara & Erin L. Hamilton, 2020. "An equity crowdfunding research agenda: evidence from stakeholder participation in the rulemaking process," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 54(4), pages 907-932, April.
    13. Maiolini, Riccardo & Cappa, Francesco & Franco, Stefano & Quaratino, Giovanni Raimondo, 2024. "The impact of sustainable development goals in lending-based prosocial crowdfunding: A topic modeling analysis on the kiva platform," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 95(PB).
    14. Francesca Pietro, 2021. "The rationale for listing on equity crowdfunding: actual and expected benefits for companies," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 48(4), pages 527-549, December.
    15. Sven Siebeneicher & Ilker Yenice & Carolin Bock, 2022. "Financial-Return Crowdfunding for Energy and Sustainability in the German-Speaking Realm," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-23, September.
    16. Mochkabadi, Kazem & Kleinert, Simon & Urbig, Diemo & Volkmann, Christine, 2024. "From distinctiveness to optimal distinctiveness: External endorsements, innovativeness and new venture funding," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 39(1).
    17. Simon Kleinert & Kazem Mochkabadi, 2022. "Gender stereotypes in equity crowdfunding: the effect of gender bias on the interpretation of quality signals," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(6), pages 1640-1661, December.
    18. Sardar Muhammad Usman & Farasat Ali Shah Bukhari & Huiwei You & Daniel Badulescu & Darie Gavrilut, 2020. "The Effect and Impact of Signals on Investing Decisions in Reward-Based Crowdfunding: A Comparative Study of China and the United Kingdom," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-20, December.
    19. Butticè, Vincenzo & Di Pietro, Francesca & Tenca, Francesca, 2020. "Is equity crowdfunding always good? Deal structure and the attraction of venture capital investors," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    20. Sophie Pommet & Alexandra Rufini & Dominique Torre, 2024. "The role of lead investors in equity crowdfunding campaigns with a secondary market," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 63(1), pages 243-273, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:riibaf:v:73:y:2025:i:pa:s0275531924003258. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ribaf .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.