Soft and hard information in equity crowdfunding: network effects in the digitalization of entrepreneurial finance

Saul Estrin, Susanna Khavul and Mike Wright

LSE Research Online Documents on Economics from London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library

Abstract: As a digital financial innovation, equity crowdfunding (ECF) allows investors to exploit the complementarity of information provision and network effects in a reduced transaction cost environment. We build on the underlying distinction between soft and hard information and show that ECF platforms create an environment of greater information pooling that benefits from network externalities. We test our hypotheses using a unique proprietary dataset and find that soft information has a greater impact than hard on the likelihood that a financing pitch will be successful. Moreover, the effects of soft information are amplified by the size of the investor network on the platform and network size also positively moderates the effect of information on the amount invested during each pitch. We conclude that ECF platforms can successfully exploit low transaction costs of the digital environment and bring network externalities to bear on investor decisions. Taken together that these increase the supply of funds to entrepreneurs.

Keywords: equity crowdfunding; entrepreneurial finance; soft information; network externalities; platforms; e Research Infrastructure and Investment Fund; Centre for Economic Performance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: G23 J26 M13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 21 pages
Date: 2022-04-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cfn, nep-ict, nep-isf and nep-pay
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Published in Small Business Economics, 1, April, 2022, 58(4), pp. 1761 - 1781. ISSN: 0921-898X

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Journal Article: Soft and hard information in equity crowdfunding: network effects in the digitalization of entrepreneurial finance (2022)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ehl:lserod:109808

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