Equity Crowdfunding: Quality Signals for Online-Platform Projects and Supporters’ Motivations

The paper assesses and evaluates quality signals for online platform projects and motivations for equity crowdfunding which might increase a potential supporter’s propensity to commit his financial resources. Based on a literature analysis a number of motives that may have an effect on the investment decision and other non-motivational dimensions are taken into account as they might convey information about the underlying and often not directly observable qualitative characteristics of the business.