The internet facilitates instant and inexpensive communication across large distances. Perhaps the most striking feature of online “crowdfunding ” is the broad geographic dispersion of investors in small, early-stage projects. This... more
The internet facilitates instant and inexpensive communication across large distances. Perhaps the most striking feature of online “crowdfunding ” is the broad geographic dispersion of investors in small, early-stage projects. This contrasts with existing theories that predict entrepreneurs and investors will be co-located due to distance-sensitive costs. We examine a crowdfunding setting that connects artist-entrepreneurs with investors over the internet for financing musical projects. The average distance between artists and investors is about 5,000 km, suggesting a reduced role for spatial proximity. Still, distance does play a role. Within a single round of financing, local investors invest relatively early, and they appear less responsive to decisions by other investors. We show this geography effect is driven by investors who likely have a personal connection with the artist-entrepreneur (“family and friends”). Although the online platform seems to eliminate most distance-rela...
