Quality revealing versus overstating in equity crowdfunding

This paper studies the impact of qualitative business information on mitigating information asymmetry between equity crowdfunding entrepreneurs and investors. Qualitative business information covers the entrepreneurs’ introduction on business model, competitive strategy, product market, drivers and barriers for product/service adoption and business milestones. Empirical data reveal that, overall, more detailed disclosure of qualitative business information leads to better fundraising outcome. However, while entrepreneurs’ excessive use of promotional language, or self-praise on business quality without factual support, is not rewarded by sophisticated investors, ordinary investors are less resistant to promotional language. We also find that Title III of the JOBS Act results in a reduction of the percentage of completed fundraisings, but exacerbates the effect of the project description on the percentage of completed fundraisings.