Exploring the Prerequisites of Institutionalizing Crowdfunding Process in Bangladesh as an Alternative Financing Option for the Startups

Abstract

Nowadays, Crowdfunding (raising capital for a startup business through the Internet) is becoming a prominent platform as an alternative source of finance for the entrepreneurs. On this ground, three objectives are set here to meet. First, exploring the regulatory reformations needed to institutionalize crowdfunding in Bangladesh. Second, assessing stakeholder’s (i.e., investors and entrepreneurs) bilateral technological readiness for crowdfunding process. Third, analyzing the determinants of their behavioral intention to participate in CF process. An in-depth interview with the experts is conducted to assess the regulatory reformations and reconciliations needed to institutionalize CF in Bangladesh. On the other hand, a structured questionnaire based survey on 250 respondents (investors and entrepreneurs) is conducted to meet the second and third objectives. Result based on descriptive statistical analysis shows significant differences between the investors and entrepreneurs regarding their technological readiness. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is used to find out the determinants of stakeholder’s behavioral intention to participate in CF, which results in technology awareness, perceived expectations, and costs, availability of resources, social psychology, and access to other finance options are the significant determinants.