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A Theory of Crowdfunding - a mechanism design approach with demand uncertainty and moral hazard

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  • Strausz, Roland

Abstract

Crowdfunding provides the innovation that it enables entrepreneurs to contract with consumers before the investment. Under aggregate demand uncertainty, this improves screening for valuable projects. Entrepreneurial moral hazard threatens this benefit. Studying the subsequent trade-off between screening and moral hazard, the paper characterizes optimal mechanisms. Popular all-or-nothing reward-crowdfunding schemes reflect their salient features. Efficiency is sustainable only if returns exceed investment costs by a margin reflecting the degree of moral hazard. Constrained efficient mechanisms exhibit underinvestment. As a screening tool for valuable projects, crowdfunding promotes social welfare. Crowdfunding complements rather than substitutes traditional entrepreneurial financing.

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  • Strausz, Roland, 2016. "A Theory of Crowdfunding - a mechanism design approach with demand uncertainty and moral hazard," CEPR Discussion Papers 11222, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:11222
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Crowdfunding; entrepreneurship; Moral hazard; Aggregate demand uncertainty; Venture capital;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • M31 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Marketing and Advertising - - - Marketing

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