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Gender, Anonymity and Team: What Determines Crowdfunding Success on Kickstarter

Author

Listed:
  • Saif Ullah

    (Finance Department, JMSB, Concordia University, Montréal, QC H3G 1M8, Canada)

  • Yulin Zhou

    (Finance Department, JMSB, Concordia University, Montréal, QC H3G 1M8, Canada)

Abstract

Crowdfunding allows the public to donate small amounts of money to entrepreneurs through online platforms. In contrast with traditional financial institutions, this new method facilitates the financing process through direct and easy online contact between initiators and investors. Based on the data obtained from Kickstarter, the largest crowdfunding platform, we investigate 27,117 crowdfunding projects from 1 January 2015, to 30 June 2015, and we find that a crowdfunding campaign with a realistic funding goal, a suitable funding period, and more updates and interactions with investors is much more likely to be successfully funded. In addition, the different types of founders are very influential in crowdfunding outcomes. For example, females tend to be more successful than males at collecting funds. Founders in the form of teams, companies, or a specific project are also beneficial to funding outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Saif Ullah & Yulin Zhou, 2020. "Gender, Anonymity and Team: What Determines Crowdfunding Success on Kickstarter," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-26, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jjrfmx:v:13:y:2020:i:4:p:80-:d:348598
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Amina Rizwan & Faisal Mustafa, 2022. "Fintech Attaining Sustainable Development: An Investor Perspective of Crowdfunding Platforms in a Developing Country," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-17, June.
    3. Felix Pinkow, 2022. "The impact of common success factors on overfunding in reward-based crowdfunding: An explorative study and avenues for future research," Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation, Fundacja Upowszechniająca Wiedzę i Naukę "Cognitione", vol. 18(1), pages 131-168.
    4. Mohammed Alharbey & Stefan Van Hemmen, 2021. "Investor Intention in Equity Crowdfunding. Does Trust Matter?," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-20, January.
    5. Alexandra Mora-Cruz & Pedro R. Palos-Sanchez, 2023. "Crowdfunding platforms: a systematic literature review and a bibliometric analysis," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 1257-1288, September.
    6. Oo, Pyayt P. & Creek, Steven A. & Sheppard, Leah D., 2022. "Perceived warmth and competence in crowdfunding: Which matters more and for whom?," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 17(C).
    7. Etienne Schraven & Elco van Burg & Marco van Gelderen & Enno Masurel, 2020. "Predictions of Crowdfunding Campaign Success: The Influence of First Impressions on Accuracy and Positivity," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-16, December.
    8. Kees Van Montfort & Vinitha Siebers & Frank Jan De Graaf, 2020. "Civic Crowdfunding in Local Governments: Variables for Success in the Netherlands?," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    9. Ke Zhao & Hongwei Wang & Wei Wang, 2023. "Women Entrepreneurs Who Break through in Reward-Based Crowdfunding: The Influence of Entrepreneurial Orientation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-25, June.
    10. Joseph Ochieng Onginjo & Zhou Dong Mei, 2023. "A study on the social and economic sustainability of rewards-based crowdfunding in Africa," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(9), pages 9619-9646, September.

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