PhD defence: Hadar Gafni

This dissertation investigates alternative digital methods of providing funding to entrepreneurs, which come as a solution for those who are underserved by venture capitalists and commercial banks – mainly women and entrepreneurs of low-income. The first chapter investigates the pitching process in a reward-based crowdfunding setting and highlights the importance of the representation of the entrepreneur herself over her idea. In the second chapter, the gender dynamics of crowdfunding are analyzed from both supply and demand sides and compared to traditional markets of finance. The third chapter delves deeper into lenders’ behavior on a crowdfunding platform which supports microfinance banks which serve poor entrepreneurs, who are deprived of using traditional banks. The thesis is completed by investigating the effects of providing financial services using mobile money to people from developing countries on their ability to start their own businesses.

Primary Supervisor:
Professor Mirjam Van Praag
Department of Strategy and Innovation
Copenhagen Business School

Secondary Supervisor:
Assistant Professor Vera Rocha
Department of Strategy and Innovation
Copenhagen Business School

Assessment Committee:
Professor mso Jörg Claussen (Chair)
Department of Strategy and Innovation
Copenhagen Business School

Associate Professor Chiara Franzoni
School of Management
Politecnico di Milano

Associate Professor Gary Dushnitsky
Strategy and Entrepreneurship
London Business School

Thesis:
The thesis will be available here.

Online Reception:
We encourage the audience to stay in the online meeting after the defence where an online reception will be hosted.

*Please note in connection with the online defence that the microphone and camera of all spectators must be turned off!