Equity crowdfunding är ett relativt outforskat fenomen, men trots detta finns det viss forskning på ämnet. Den forskning som tidigare har gjorts är utifrån ett traditionellt synsätt på organisationer. Vi ville med hjälp av en kvalitativ studie undersöka och skapa förståelse för vilka andra värden och betydelser än ekonomiskt kapital som aktörer förknippar med equity crowdfunding. Vi hade en viss förförståelse och ville med hjälp av denna skapa en djupare förståelse. Därför valde vi att intervjua fem aktörer som alla har en koppling till bolag som genomfört en equity crowdfunding-kampanj. Med hjälp av ostrukturerade intervjuer lät vi respondenterna tala fritt om sina erfarenheter och utifrån detta kunde vi sedan bilda vår teoretiska referensram. De teman som vi funnit utifrån vår empiri är symboler, identitet, gränser, makt, socialt kapital samt humankapital.

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För att kunna utveckla en produkt eller en affärsverksamhet är tillgången till finansiering mycket betydelsefull för företag. Nystartade och mindre företag stöter ofta på patrull när de försöker anskaffa kapital från traditionella finansieringskällor såsom banker och riskkapitalister. De nystartade och mindre företagen har istället varit hänvisade till att söka finansiering från ägarnas vänner, familj och andra inom deras bekantskapskrets, för det fallet att deras ägare själva inte har haft tillräckligt med kapital. Den tämligen nya finansieringsformen Equity Crowdfunding kan emellertid vara lösning på finansieringsproblemet för nystartade och mindre företag. Equity Crowdfunding kan beskrivas som en finansieringsform innebärande att ett företag eller dess ägare anskaffar kapital till företaget genom att via internet erbjuda allmänheten att teckna eller köpa värdepapper i företaget. Med anledning av Equity Crowdfunding uppkommer emellertid ett antal betänkligheter av såväl praktisk som legal karaktär. En fråga som förekommit i diskussionen av Equity Crowdfunding i förhållande till svensk rätt är om Equity Crowdfunding-förfarandet strider mot spridningsförbudet i 1 kap. 7 § aktiebolagslagen (2005:551) (ABL). Med tanke på att det inte finns någon praxis avseende spridningsförbudet är det föga förvånande att det förelegat en betydande osäkerhet avseende frågan. I uppsatsen framkommer att väldigt mycket tyder på att de företag som söker finansiering genom Equity Crowdfunding gör sig skyldiga till överträdelser av spridningsförbudet. En överträdelse av det nämnda spridningsförbudet kan ytterst leda till ett fängelsestraff enligt 30 kap. 1 § ABL. Det faktum att en överträdelse kan leda till ett fängelsestraff visar på allvarligheten av en överträdelse. Vidare har det tidigare varit något osäkert om det uppkommer en skyldighet för de finansieringssökande företagen att upprätta ett så kallat prospekt enligt 2 kap. 1 § lagen (1991:980) om handel med finansiella instrument (LHF). Av den utredning som görs i uppsatsen synes dock någon sådan skyldighet inte uppkomma I uppsatsen föreslås att ett lagstiftningsarbete bör initieras för att göra det möjligt för privata aktiebolag att söka finansiering via Equity Crowdfunding utan att dess företrädare, ägare och andra inblandade aktörer riskerar att hållas straffrättsligt ansvariga, samt vilka överväganden lagstiftaren i övrigt bör göra om ett sådant lagstiftningsarbete sätts igång. / Access to financing is essential in order to develop a product or a business. Small businesses, especially start-ups, have a difficult time raising money. The usual sources of business finance, e.g. bank lending and venture capital, are hard to obtain for small and micro-businesses. Instead, entrepreneurs who lack the personal resources needed to finance their businesses have to turn to friends, family members, and personal acquaintances but those sources are often insufficient.1 A rather new form of financing called Equity Crowdfunding may however be a possible solution to the funding problem of start-ups and small businesses. In essence Equity Crowdfunding means that company turn directly to the public and solicit securities in the company through the Internet in order to finance its business. Equity Crowdfunding gives rise to a number of questions. Pursuant to the prohibition to solicit securities which is expressed in the 1 kap. 7 § aktiebolagslagen (2005:551) (ABL),2 a private limited company must not offer securities of the company to the public. Given that nearly all of the companies who seek financing through Equity Crowdfunding are private limited companies, one question that has occurred is the lawfulness of Equity Crowdfunding. There are no relevant precedents on this matter. Nonetheless in this thesis it is argued that there are many indications that Equity Crowdfunding is unlawful according to 1 kap. 7 § ABL. The fact that a violation of 1 kap. 7 § can lead to criminal liability according to 30 kap. 1 § ABL shows how serious the legislator has seen on an infringement of the prohibition. Furthermore pursuant to 2 kap. 1 § lagen (1991:980) om handel med finansiella instrument (LHF),3 it is unlawful for a company to offer transferable securities to the public unless a prospectus has been drawn and published. It has been uncertain whether or not the companies using Equity Crowdfunding have to draw and publish a prospectus. In this thesis it is argued that the companies using Equity Crowdfunding aren’t subject to LHF and thus do not have to draw a prospectus when seeking finance through Equity Crowdfunding. In the end of this thesis I suggest that the legislator should initiate a legislative scheme in order to make it possible for Swedish start-ups and small companies to seek financing through Equity Crowdfunding without risking to be held criminally liable. I also present other considerations which I deem necessary.

Equity crowdfunding is a modern way for a company to finance their business. We have in this qualitative study aimed at increasing the comprehension for the relations between shareholders and companies financed through equity crowdfunding. The empirical content has been gathered through unstructured interview with representatives from companies, shareholders and industry experts. Our theory has mainly been focused on power, identity and loyalty. The interpretation and discussion of our empirical content ended up explaining the consequences of the theoretical themes we studied. We could from these themes conclude that all shareholders can through communication have great influence on the company and the identification among shareholders can be used to build loyalty. We also came to the conclusion that companies can benefit from shareholders identifying themselves with the company. / Equity crowdfunding är ett modernt sätt för ett företag att finansiera sig. Vi har genom denna kvalitativa studie ämnat att öka förståelsen för relationen mellan delägare och bolag finansierade genom equity crowdfunding. Empirin är insamlad genom ostrukturerade intervjuer med representanter från företag, delägare och branschexperter. Vår teori har huvudsakligen varit fokuserad på makt, identitet och lojalitet. Den empiriska tolkningen och diskussionen mynnade ut i att förklara konsekvenserna av våra teoretiska teman.. Vi kunde från dessa teman dra slutsatser för att svara på våra forskningsfrågor. Vi kom fram till att alla delägare genom kommunikation kan få ett stort inflytande i bolagen och att kommunikation kan användas för att bygga förtroende och lojalitet. Vi har också kommit fram till att bolagen kan dra nytta av att delägarna kan identifiera sig med bolagen.

Equity crowdfunding is a financing tool argued to be the future of small business financing. Beside financial benefits it is argued to be several non-financial benefits, one being the ability to use the crowdfunders for knowledge. Knowledge transfer has been widely researched, but little has been done to investigate how knowledge is transferred between firms and crowdfunders in an equity crowdfunding context. This study aim to address this research gap by using Szulanski’s (1996) model for the knowledge transfer process and four influencing factors: knowledge, absorptive capacity, motivation and relationship. This study qualitatively investigates five equity crowdfunded firms by conducting semi- structured interviews and reviewing secondary data. The findings indicate that a majority of the firms consider crowdfunders as a potential source of explicit knowledge regarding consumer insights. Knowledge was found to be transferred via social media, email, surveys and social interaction. The crowdfunders need encouragement in order to share knowledge and social interaction was the most effective way to acquire and transfer knowledge. The large number of crowdfunders creates a weak relationship that is difficult to manage, but it does not impede the transfer of explicit knowledge. The desire to use the crowdfunders as a source of knowledge is high yet limited by time and resources as well as experience and ideas for how to best transfer knowledge from the crowdfunders.

Syfte: Denna studie är av kvalitativ art och syftar till att undersöka varför entreprenörer väljer att använda sig av equity crowdfunding som finansieringsform framför de traditionella finansieringsformer såsom banker och riskkapitalister. Teoretiska ramverket: Pecking Order-teorin, samt tidigare forskning som behandlar finansieringsgapet, traditionella finansieringsformer och equity crowdfunding. Metod: Kvalitativ metod med semi-strukturerade intervjuer. Slutsats: Studiens resultat tyder på att den största anledningen till att företag använder sig av equity crowdfunding är att skaffa sig kapital för att finansiera sina verksamheter samt dra nytta av de fördelar den har att erbjuda för att skapa starkare närvaro i marknaden. Utöver de ekonomiska fördelarna visade sig att företagarna använder equity crowdfunding för marknadsföringssyfte, öka kundkretsen, kunskapsspridning, samarbetspartner, och skydda äganderätten. / Purpose: This study is of a qualitative nature and aims to investigate why entrepreneurs choose to use Equity crowdfunding as a form of financing over traditional financing methods such as banks and venture capitalists. Theoretical framework: Pecking order theory, furthermore previous research that focuson the financing gap, traditional funding forms and equity crowdfunding. Method: Qualitative method with semi-structured interviews. Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that the main reason why companies use equity crowdfunding is to raise capital to finance their operations and take advantage of the advantages it has to offer to create a stronger presence in the market. In addition to the financial benefits, it was found that the entrepreneurs use Equity crowdfunding for marketing purposes, increase the customer base, spread knowledge, partners, and protect ownership rights.

The financing phenomenon equity crowdfunding, which is the smallest of the four crowdfunding types, has in recent years expanded quickly. This has led to companies and entrepreneurs that possess limited knowledge about business and are unable to get financed in any other way making their way to this financing type. Their lack of knowledge regarding valuation for businesses has not previously been studied. Researchers has however voiced their concerns regarding valuation for companies on this market, since it has significant implications for the future of the company and the chance for a crowdfunding campaign to succeed. These concerns led to the purpose of the thesis, to study how valuation is conducted in companies that has run equity crowdfunding campaigns in Sweden. To answer this a case study was conducted where seven entrepreneurs, that previously had such a campaign on the swedish platform FundedByMe, was interviewed. This was also complemented with an expert interview with a representative from a Swedish crowdfunding intermediary. During these interviews the entrepreneurs explained why they chose equity crowdfunding, why they chose to offer the amount of equity they did and the valuation process. From this study we can conclude that some of the concerns may be unjustified, even if most of the companies could not get financing in any other way they seem to have a high awareness of the importance of a thorough valuation and in several cases sought external help for this process. Further it can be concluded that the amount of equity offered is closely linked to the amount of capital that the entrepreneur believe they need, but also to keep as many shares as possible to themselves. Another important insight is that the current laws that regulate the area in Sweden is too unspecified and that further regulation is needed to reduce the amount of asymmetric information on the market and to protect investors to a higher degree than today. / Den nya finansieringsformen equity crowdfunding, den minsta av de fyra crowdfundingmodellerna, har under de senaste åren haft en snabb framfart. Detta har dock lett till attföretag och entreprenörer som är ekonomiskt okunniga och ej kan finansiera sig på annat sättsökt sig till equity crowdfunding. Deras okunskap kring värdering har inte tidigare studeratsmen forskare har uttryckt oro kring värderingen av företag inom denna marknad då den harstora implikationer för företagets framtid samt om kampanjen lyckas. Oron kringvärderingsförfarandet ledde till att syftet i denna studie utformades för att undersöka hur dettagår till i företag som tillämpat equity crowdfunding i Sverige. Det har skett genom enfallstudie där sju företag som haft en sådan kampanj hos den svenska plattformenFundedByMe intervjuades. Detta kompletterades även med en expertintervju från enrepresentant för denna intermediär. Under dessa intervjuer förklarade entreprenörerna varförde sökt sig till equity crowdfunding, varför de valde att bjuda ut den del av bolaget som devalde samt värderingsprocessen. Från resultatet av denna studie konstateras att viss oro kandämpas, då förvisso de flesta bolagen inte hade möjlighet att få finansiering på annat sätt,men de hade ändå en god uppfattning kring värderingens betydelse och hade i flera fall tagitin extern kompetens för att assistera med denna. Det går även att konstatera att andelenutbjudet kapital främst är kopplat till det kapitalbehov entreprenörerna upplever att de harsamt en önskan att behålla så många andelar som möjligt i bolaget. En viktig insikt är även attden lagstiftning som finns inom området, i Sverige, idag är alldeles för otydlig och equitycrowdfunding kommer behöva en mycket mer specificerad reglering för att åtgärda denasymmetriska informationen som finns på marknaden samt för att öka det i nulägetbristfälliga investerarskyddet.

Notre recherche s’intéresse aux déterminants affectifs et axiologiques du choix d’investissement en equity crowdfunding. Nous défendons la thèse d’un choix de projets déterminé en partie par les valeurs et l’affectif de l’investisseur individuel. Notre revue de littérature est transversale à plusieurs champs des sciences sociales. Ainsi, le cadre théorique établi articule finance, marketing, GRH et psychologie. Un modèle explicatif par équations structurelles est proposé puis testé empiriquement grâce aux données d’une expérimentation de laboratoire. Nos résultats confirment que les valeurs ainsi que l’intérêt pour le projet, une variable affective, ont un effet sensible dans les choix des investisseurs et dominent le jugement analytique en l’absence d’interactions sociales réelles et virtuelles. Une théorie originale est proposée pour améliorer la compréhension du phénomène étudié, au-delà des apports de la théorie du signal. Cette théorie, le matching affectif, personnalise les comportements et offre un prisme de lecture reposant sur la congruence entre caractéristiques du projet et préférences de l’investisseur. Sa mise en œuvre par un modèle dérivant du modèle explicatif associé à une mesure de similarité ad hoc produit des résultats prédictifs encourageants. Notre travail se termine par un ensemble de suggestions managériales découlant de nos conclusions / Our research focuses on the emotional and axiological determinants of investment choice in equity crowdfunding. We defend the thesis of a projects choice determined in part by the values and emotions of the individual investor. Our literature review is transversal to several fields of social sciences. Thus, the established theoretical framework articulates finance, marketing, HRM and psychology. An explanatory model using structural equations is proposed and tested empirically using data from a laboratory experiment. Our results confirm that values and interest in the project, an affective variable, have a significant effect on investor choices and dominate analytical judgment in the absence of real and virtual social interactions. An original theory is proposed to improve the understanding of the studied phenomenon, beyond the contributions of the signal theory. This theory, emotional matching, personalizes behaviors and offers a prism of reading based on the congruence between characteristics of the project and investor preferences. Its implementation by a model derived from the explanatory model associated with an ad hoc similarity measure produces encouraging predictive results. Our work ends with a set of managerial suggestions arising from our findings.

L’equity crowdfunding (ECF) est un mode d’investissement récent, accessible au grand public, qui a pour caractéristiques de se dérouler en ligne, au sein d’une communauté virtuelle, dans l’environnement d’une plateforme intermédiaire.Ce travail doctoral a pour objectif de mieux comprendre le comportement des investisseurs particuliers qui achètent des produits financiers en ECF, les crowdinvestors.En s’inscrivant dans le courant de la valeur de consommation, cette recherche contribue à définir les sources de valorisation d’investissement en ECF et en étudie spécifiquement la dimension participative et son influence sur la décision d’investissement.Une revue de littérature en finance entrepreneuriale sur le profil, les motivations, le comportement d’investissement et les facteurs d’influence de la décision d’investissement des crowdinvestors est proposée. Une enquête exploratoire reposant sur 13 entretiens et une étude empirique testant un modèle d’équations structurelles sur la base de 436 questionnaires, ont été menées auprès de membres de la plateforme d’ECF française WiSEED.L’analyse des données menée avec l’approche PLS montre que la valeur perçue de l’expérience de participation a une influence significative sur la valorisation de l’investissement, mais pas sur la décision d’investissement. Nous mettons en évidence le rôle central de l’expertise subjective du capital-amorçage des individus comme antécédent de la décision d’investissement, de la valorisation de l’expérience de participation et de l’engagement dans la communauté en ligne. Enfin, les résultats indiquent que le risque perçu n’est pas un modérateur du modèle tandis que la sophistication de l’investisseur en est un. / Equity crowdfunding is a recent investment mode, opening acces to venture capital to unsophisticated investors. ECF allows platform-based online investment within a virtual community.This research aims to improve understanding of indivual investors financial products consumption, in the ECF context, the so-called crowdinvestors.Building on consumption value theory, this research helps defining ECF-investment value sources for crowdinvestors. It focuses especially on the ‘participation in community’ dimension of ECF as a determinant of various investment behaviors.A litterature review in entrepreneurial finance is presented to define profiles, motivations, investment behaviors and quality signals influencing crowdinvestors’ investment decision.To answer three main research questions, an exploratory study was conducted on 13 members on french ECF platform WiSEED. We put in evidence the difference between the investment experience and the participation in community experienceThus, an empirical study based on a theoretical model is conducted and various PLS analysis are run on a set of 436 surveys answered by WiSEED members. Results show that perceived value of participation experience has a positive and significant influence on perceived value of investment but no influence at all on investment decision.Though, we highlight the central role of individuals’ venture capital expertise both on their investment (amount and number), their engagement within the platform community and their participation experience perceived value. inally, results indicate that perceived risk is not a moderator of the model whereas investor sophistication is.

Submitted by anderson martins vieira (mv.ander.rj@gmail.com) on 2018-02-22T10:16:22Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTAÇÃO - FINAL.pdf: 1057789 bytes, checksum: 917cc28c815319dad93e15ab2bc39bb1 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by ÁUREA CORRÊA DA FONSECA CORRÊA DA FONSECA (aurea.fonseca@fgv.br) on 2018-06-22T18:13:04Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTAÇÃO - FINAL.pdf: 1057789 bytes, checksum: 917cc28c815319dad93e15ab2bc39bb1 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-07-02T19:29:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DISSERTAÇÃO - FINAL.pdf: 1057789 bytes, checksum: 917cc28c815319dad93e15ab2bc39bb1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-11-23 / Purpose – this dissertation had as a research problem to study the initial perceptions of potential investors in equity crowdfunding in the current Brazilian scenario. Design/Methodology – The methodology applied was qualitative, with semi-structured interviews using a non-probabilistic sample, with subjects who present two conditions: invested in stocks or any other securities and have notions of crowdfunding. The data were analyzed according to the technique of content analysis. Findings – The results obtained in the study point to high levels of positive perceptions regarding the concept of equity crowdfunding, the recent regulation of the subject, the limits of regulated investments and the possibility of investment through unions. There was a balance between negative and positive perceptions regarding the exemption from registration of the public offering and low compatibility between the period of return on investment desired by the participants and that verified in equity crowdfunding.investment through unions. The types of riches most perceived by clients in this type of investment were the risk of business failure or mismanagement, fraud risk and risk of information asymmetry. The most relevant factors most cited for long-term investment in this type of investment were identification with the project, the business plan and the financial return. And finally, the most relevant factors for the decision-making to invest in equity crowdfunding in the interviewees' view were the business plan and the sector of the economy in which the company carries out its activities. Research limitations – In addition to the limitations of the content analysis method, this study does not cover other crowdfunding modalities, nor does it seek to map the marketing potential or to analyze the institute deeply outside Brazil. Pratical implications – Equity crowdfunding has the potential to be a valuable tool for fundraising and investing in startups. Social implications – By approaching pickups and investors, equity crowdfunding can boost the emergence of startups, generating jobs and innovation. Originality – As far as we research, this is the first study conducted in Brazil that investigates the profile of potential investors in equity crowdfunding. / Objetivo – Este trabalho pretende estudar as percepções iniciais de potenciais investidores em equity crowdfunding no atual cenário brasileiro. Metodologia – A metodologia aplicada foi do tipo qualitativa, sendo realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas, utilizando amostra não probabilística, com sujeitos que atendessem dois pré-requisitos: ter investido em ações ou qualquer outro valor mobiliário e ter noções de crowdfunding. Os dados foram analisados conforme a técnica da análise de conteúdo. Resultados – Os resultados obtidos no estudo apontam para altos índices de percepções positivas dos participantes em relação ao conceito de equity crowdfunding, da recente regulamentação do tema, dos limites de investimentos regulamentados e pela possibilidade de investimento através de sindicatos. Houve equilíbrio entre percepções negativas e positivas em relação à isenção de registro da oferta pública e baixa compatibilidade entre o prazo de retorno de investimento desejado pelos participantes e o verificado no equity crowdfunding. Os tipos de ricos mais percebidos pelos clientes neste tipo de investimento foram: o risco de insucesso do negócio ou de má gestão, risco de fraude e risco de assimetria de informações. Os fatores relevantes mais citados para investimento no longo prazo neste tipo de investimento foram: a identificação com o projeto, o plano de negócios e o retorno financeiro. E, por fim, os fatores mais relevantes para a tomada de decisão de investir em equity crowdfunding, na visão dos entrevistados, foram: o plano de negócios e o setor da economia na qual a empresa exerça as suas atividades. Limitações – Além das limitações do método referente à análise de conteúdo, este estudo não abrange outras modalidades de crowdfunding, como também não busca mapear o potencial mercadológico ou analisar profundamente o instituto fora do Brasil. Contribuições Práticas – O equity crowdfunding tem potencial para ser um valioso instrumento de captação de recursos e investimentos em startups. Contribuições Sociais – Ao aproximar captadores e investidores, o equity crowdfunding pode potencializar o surgimento de startups, gerando empregos e inovação. Originalidade – Até onde pesquisamos, este é o primeiro estudo realizado no Brasil que investiga o perfil os potenciais investidores em equity crowdfunding.