The aim of this thesis is to analyze crowdfunding campaigns on Kickstarter, and contribute towards increasing the effectiveness of such campaigns, as most campaigns are unsuccessful. The theoretical part will focus on defining crowdfunding as the new phenomena of capital distribution and compared with other forms of financing new ideas. The empirical part focuses on a paired comparison analysis of campaigns from two various locations and three industries in total. Factores affecting the successfulness are analyzed and a pattern which would help towards solving the initial problem is looked for. The aim of the thesis was fulfilled by giving recommendations which have an impact on the success rate.

Disertacijos tyrimo objektas yra valstybinis rizikos kapitalas, kaip rizikos kapitalo rinkos skatinimo, pradedančio veiklą inovatyvaus verslo finansavimo ir valstybės politikos priemonė, padedanti spręsti netobulos/neefektyvios rinkos situacijas, kuriose privatus rizikos kapitalas pasiekia ne visus rinkos dalyvius. Tyrimo tikslas yra atskleisti valstybinio rizikos kapitalo reikšmę šalies rizikos kapitalo sektoriui ir poveikį ekonomikai bei, remiantis kitų Europos šalių patirtimi, sukurti hipotetinį valstybinio rizikos kapitalo plėtros modelį Lietuvoje. Siekiant tyrimo tikslo, disertacijoje yra apžvelgti teoriniai valstybinio rizikos kapitalo aspektai, išanalizuotos užsienio šalyse įgyvendintos valstybinio rizikos kapitalo priemonės, įvertintas rizikos kapitalo temos išnagrinėjimo lygis Lietuvos autorių mokslo darbuose, išanalizuota Lietuvos inovacijų kūrimo ir finansavimo bei rizikos kapitalo sistemų būklė bei suformuotas hipotetinis valstybinio rizikos kapitalo plėtros modelis, kurį galima įgyvendinti Lietuvoje. / Object of the research is public venture capital as a tool of venture capital market incentive, innovative business start-up financing, and state policy, which helps addressing imperfect/inefficient market situations where private venture capital does not access all market players. Purpose of the research is to reveal the importance of public venture capital to the national venture capital sector, its impact on the economy and, based on the experience of European countries, to create a hypothetical model of public venture capital development in Lithuania. In order to meet this purpose theoretical aspects of public venture capital in foreign authors’ scientific works were overviewed; public venture capital tools, that have been implemented in foreign countries, were analyzed; the level of study of public venture capital topic in Lithuanian authors’ scientific works was evaluated; the state of Lithuanian innovation development and financing and venture capital systems was analyzed, and a hypothetical model of public venture capital development, which could be implemented in Lithuania, was created.

Disertacijos tyrimo objektas yra valstybinis rizikos kapitalas, kaip rizikos kapitalo rinkos skatinimo, pradedančio veiklą inovatyvaus verslo finansavimo ir valstybės politikos priemonė, padedanti spręsti netobulos/neefektyvios rinkos situacijas, kuriose privatus rizikos kapitalas pasiekia ne visus rinkos dalyvius. Tyrimo tikslas yra atskleisti valstybinio rizikos kapitalo reikšmę šalies rizikos kapitalo sektoriui ir poveikį ekonomikai bei, remiantis kitų Europos šalių patirtimi, sukurti hipotetinį valstybinio rizikos kapitalo plėtros modelį Lietuvoje. Siekiant tyrimo tikslo, disertacijoje yra apžvelgti teoriniai valstybinio rizikos kapitalo aspektai, išanalizuotos užsienio šalyse įgyvendintos valstybinio rizikos kapitalo priemonės, įvertintas rizikos kapitalo temos išnagrinėjimo lygis Lietuvos autorių mokslo darbuose, išanalizuota Lietuvos inovacijų kūrimo ir finansavimo bei rizikos kapitalo sistemų būklė bei suformuotas hipotetinis valstybinio rizikos kapitalo plėtros modelis, kurį galima įgyvendinti Lietuvoje. / Object of the research is public venture capital as a tool of venture capital market incentive, innovative business start-up financing, and state policy, which helps addressing imperfect/inefficient market situations where private venture capital does not access all market players. Purpose of the research is to reveal the importance of public venture capital to the national venture capital sector, its impact on the economy and, based on the experience of European countries, to create a hypothetical model of public venture capital development in Lithuania. In order to meet this purpose theoretical aspects of public venture capital in foreign authors’ scientific works were overviewed; public venture capital tools, that have been implemented in foreign countries, were analyzed; the level of study of public venture capital topic in Lithuanian authors’ scientific works was evaluated; the state of Lithuanian innovation development and financing and venture capital systems was analyzed, and a hypothetical model of public venture capital development, which could be implemented in Lithuania, was created.

Η διατριβή εξετάζει τους κρίσιμους παράγοντες που προσδιορίζουν την επιχειρηματικότητα της υπαίθρου, θέτει τα κύρια ερευνητικά ερωτήματα που σχετίζονται με ανάπτυξη και υποστήριξη της επιχειρηματικότητας στην ύπαιθρο και τέλος θέτει τις βάσεις για μία μελλοντική επιστημονική έρευνα. Οι περιοχές όπου βασίσθηκε η συγκεκριμένη διατριβή οριοθετούνται σε τέσσερις χώρες της Νότιας Ευρώπης: α) την Ελλάδα (Ευρυτανία)β) την Ιταλία (Garfagnana & Media Valle del Serchio) γ) την Ισπανία (Garrotxa) και δ) την Πορτογαλία (Serra-Algarvia). / The doctoral dissertation examines the crucial factors that determine rural entrepreneurship, it sets the basic research questions concerning the development and support of rural entrepreneurship and it also sets the framework for a future scientific research. The doctoral dissertation was based on four areas of Southern Europe: Evrytania (Greece); Garfagnana & Media Valle del Serchio (Italy); Garrotxa (Spain) and Serra-Algarvia (Portugal).