The Geography of Crowdfunding

Ajay Agrawal, Christian Catalini and Avi Goldfarb

No 16820, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: Perhaps the most striking feature of "crowdfunding" is the broad geographic dispersion of investors in small, early-stage projects. This contrasts with existing theories that predict entrepreneurs and investors will be co-located due to distance-sensitive costs. We examine a crowdfunding setting that connects artist-entrepreneurs with investors over the internet for financing musical projects. The average distance between artists and investors is about 3,000 miles, suggesting a reduced role for spatial proximity. Still, distance does play a role. Within a single round of financing, local investors invest relatively early, and they appear less responsive to decisions by other investors. We show this geography effect is driven by investors who likely have a personal connection with the artist-entrepreneur ("family and friends"). Although the online platform seems to eliminate most distance-related economic frictions such as monitoring progress, providing input, and gathering information, it does not eliminate social-related frictions.

JEL-codes: G21 G24 L17 R12 Z11 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011-02
Note: PR
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (128)

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