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On equity crowdfunding: investor rationality and success factors

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  • Miwako Nitani
  • Allan Riding
  • Beichuan He

Abstract

Based on observations from four European equity crowdfunding platforms, this study assesses crowdinvestors’ ability to interpret signals associated with firm and owner attributes, financial statements, and social networking activity when selecting investment opportunities. It was found that crowdinvestors attempt to reduce risk by choosing larger firms managed by experienced and educated managements who maintain a relatively large equity stake post-offering, while maximizing returns by picking projects with better growth opportunities (for example, young firms with higher expected margins and reasonably high sales growth forecasts). These results suggest that participants in the crowdfunding market are rational, interpreting signals derived from firm attributes and financial statements in appropriate ways to minimize risk and maximize returns. The firm’s and entrepreneur’s social networks also has a strong influence on investment decisions, so much so that the inclusion of this variable weakens the impacts of firm size, expected sales growth and margin on campaign success. This suggests the possibility that social media provide investors with an opportunity to validate otherwise less credible information.

Suggested Citation

  • Miwako Nitani & Allan Riding & Beichuan He, 2019. "On equity crowdfunding: investor rationality and success factors," Venture Capital, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(2-3), pages 243-272, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:veecee:v:21:y:2019:i:2-3:p:243-272
    DOI: 10.1080/13691066.2018.1468542
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Maximilian Goethner & Lars Hornuf & Tobias Regner, 2020. "Protecting Investors in Equity Crowdfunding: An Empirical Analysis of the Small Investor Protection Act," Bremen Papers on Economics & Innovation 2008, University of Bremen, Faculty of Business Studies and Economics.
    2. Goethner, Maximilian & Hornuf, Lars & Regner, Tobias, 2021. "Protecting investors in equity crowdfunding: An empirical analysis of the small investor protection act," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    3. Lars Hornuf & Matthias Schmitt & Eliza Stenzhorn, 2022. "The local bias in equity crowdfunding: Behavioral anomaly or rational preference?," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(3), pages 693-733, August.
    4. Yu, Huaibing, 2024. "Why isn't composite equity issuance favored by the stock market? A risk-based explanation for the anomaly," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    5. Lukkarinen, Anna & Schwienbacher, Armin, 2023. "Secondary market listings in equity crowdfunding: The missing link?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(1).
    6. Vazirani, Ashish & Sarkar, Subhro & Bhattacharjee, Titas & Dwivedi, Yogesh K & Jack, Sarah, 2023. "Information signals and bias in investment decisions: A meta-analytic comparison of prediction and actual performance of new ventures," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 155(PB).
    7. Huiling Zhang & Yaokuang Li & Juan Wu & Li Ling, 2022. "How do the network structures of lead investors affect the following of distant strangers? Evidence from Chinese equity crowdfunding," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(8), pages 3516-3533, December.
    8. Legenzova Renata & Leckė Gintarė, 2022. "Exploring Lithuanian Real Estate Crowdfunding Investors’ Rationality," Management of Organizations: Systematic Research, Sciendo, vol. 87(1), pages 83-102, June.
    9. Joseph Denis Njayou Oyong, 2022. "Analyse Exploratoire De La Représentation Du Marche De L'Equity Crowdfunding Par Les Investisseurs Particuliers Exploratory Analysis Of The Perception Of Individual Investors Of The Equity Crowdfundin," Post-Print hal-03777041, HAL.
    10. 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.
    11. 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.
    12. Eric Tassel, 2023. "Crowdfunding investors, intermediaries and risky entrepreneurs," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 60(3), pages 1033-1050, March.
    13. Lingfei Deng & Qiang Ye & DaPeng Xu & Wenjun Sun & Guangxin Jiang, 2022. "A literature review and integrated framework for the determinants of crowdfunding success," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 8(1), pages 1-70, December.
    14. 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).
    15. Penz, R. Frederic & Hörisch, Jacob & Tenner, Isabell, 2022. "Investors in environmental ventures want good money—and a clean conscience: How framing, interest rates, and the environmental impact of crowdlending projects influence funding decisions," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).

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