Pitching Trustworthiness: Cues for Trust in Early-Stage Investment Decision-Making

Abstract:     
Most studies examining how early-stage investors determine in which entrepreneurs they will invest focus primarily on financial or objective factors of the business: market potential, return on investment, economic aspects of the business model without accounting for the interpersonal analysis – whether to trust the entrepreneur with time, money, and a long-term relationship. I used a sample of 101 videos of entrepreneurs pitching to a network of angel investors to determine the relationship between observed cues during the pitch and trust, and interest in investing. I identify specific cues that lead to the determination of trust in the entrepreneur during the pitch.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 11

working papers series