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Why do startups pursue initial coin offerings (ICOs)? The role of economic drivers and social identity on funding choice

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  • Magnus Schückes

    (University of Mannheim)

  • Tobias Gutmann

    (EBS Universität für Wirtschaft und Recht)

Abstract

Initial coin offerings (ICOs) are a novel form of funding that has driven billions of dollars into the blockchain ecosystem, potentially challenging traditional funding vehicles such as business angel or venture capital investments. However, little is known of entrepreneurs’ rationales for leveraging this emerging form of financing. This article investigates the economic and behavioral factors that motivate entrepreneurs to fund their startup operations with ICOs. By conducting in-depth interviews with C-level managers or founders of ICO-funded startups, our analysis reveals four dimensions that have an impact on the decision: (1) funding, (2) community building, (3) tokenomics, and (4) personal and ideological drivers. Our findings suggest that the entrepreneur’s social identity in conjunction with the enabling mechanisms of the blockchain technology shape entrepreneurial pursuits and funding choice. We contribute to the literature on entrepreneurial finance by increasing understanding of ICOs and to the literature on entrepreneurial decision making by providing qualitative insights into the influence of founder identity on key decisions in startups such as financing.

Suggested Citation

  • Magnus Schückes & Tobias Gutmann, 2021. "Why do startups pursue initial coin offerings (ICOs)? The role of economic drivers and social identity on funding choice," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 57(2), pages 1027-1052, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:sbusec:v:57:y:2021:i:2:d:10.1007_s11187-020-00337-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s11187-020-00337-9
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    Cited by:

    1. Muneer M. Alshater & Mayank Joshipura & Rim El Khoury & Nohade Nasrallah, 2023. "Initial Coin Offerings: a Hybrid Empirical Review," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 61(3), pages 891-908, October.
    2. Ploypailin Kijkasiwat & Hamza Almustafa & Pongsutti Phuensane, 2023. "Initial coin offerings for business: a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 1-31, January.
    3. Giuliano Sansone & Flavio Santalucia & Davide Viglialoro & Paolo Landoni, 2023. "Blockchain for social good and stakeholder engagement: Evidence from a case study," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(5), pages 2182-2193, September.
    4. Paul, Justin & Alhassan, Ibrahim & Binsaif, Nasser & Singh, Prakash, 2023. "Digital entrepreneurship research: A systematic review," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    5. Patel, Ritesh & Migliavacca, Milena & Oriani, Marco E., 2022. "Blockchain in banking and finance: A bibliometric review," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    6. Anton Miglo, 2023. "ICO vs. Equity Financing under Imperfect, Complex and Asymmetric Information," FinTech, MDPI, vol. 3(1), pages 1-23, December.
    7. Tobias Kollmann & Lucas Kleine-Stegemann & Katharina Cruppe & Christina Then-Bergh, 2022. "Eras of Digital Entrepreneurship," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 64(1), pages 15-31, February.
    8. Maksim Belitski & Dmitri Boreiko, 2022. "Success factors of initial coin offerings," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(6), pages 1690-1706, December.
    9. Fernandes, Cristina & Ferreira, João J. & Veiga, Pedro Mota & Kraus, Sascha & Dabić, Marina, 2022. "Digital entrepreneurship platforms: Mapping the field and looking towards a holistic approach," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    10. Bejjani, Melissa & Göcke, Lutz & Menter, Matthias, 2023. "Digital entrepreneurial ecosystems: A systematic literature review," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Initial coin offerings; Entrepreneurial finance; Entrepreneurial decision making; Social identity; Digital entrepreneurship; Blockchain;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M13 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - New Firms; Startups
    • M15 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - IT Management
    • G23 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Non-bank Financial Institutions; Financial Instruments; Institutional Investors
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • L17 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Open Source Products and Markets
    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship

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