Optimal Crowdfunding Design

Abstract

We characterize optimal reward-based crowdfunding where production is contingent on an aggregate funding threshold. Crowdfunding adapts project-implementation to demand (market-testing) and its multiple prices enhance rent-extraction via pivotality, even for large crowds, indeed arbitrarily large if tastes are correlated. Adaptation raises welfare. Rent-extraction can enhance adaptation, but sometimes distorts production and lowers welfare. Threshold commitment, central to All-Or-Nothing platforms, raises profits but can lower consumer welfare. When new buyers arrive ex-post, crowdfunding’s market-test complements traditional finance and optimizes subsequent pricing. We prove that crowdfunding is a general optimal mechanism in our baseline.

Keywords: Crowdfunding, mechanism design, entrepreneurial finance, market-testing, adaptation, rent-extraction

JEL Classification: C72, D42, L12