Crowd-Funding: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

Since its birth in 2006, crowdfunding has helped entrepreneurs get innovative ideas and products off the ground without the help of traditional funding sources. Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo have fueled business ideas, and now the Federal JOBS Act has opened the door to include accredited investors in the crowdfunding arena. Even as crowdfunding is becoming mainstream, there are pros and cons that an entrepreneur must weigh before using crowdfunding to support their business growth. During the next CEO Series Webinar, Christian Catalini, assistant professor of technological innovation, entrepreneurship and strategic management at MIT Sloan, will walk entrepreneurs through the risks and rewards of crowdfunding and when it may prove more effective than traditional financing products. Participants will learn: ? Foundational pros and cons of crowdfunding ? Best practices in pursuing crowdfunding ? Common crowdfunding pitfalls to avoid Presented by: Professor Christian Catalini, Sloan School of Management, MIT Christian Catalini is an Assistant Professor of Technological Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Strategic Management at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Christian's main areas of interest are the economics of innovation, entrepreneurship and scientific productivity. His research focuses on crowdfunding and online entrepreneurial finance, how proximity affects the recombination of ideas, the adoption of technology standards, science and technology interactions. He holds a PhD from the University of Toronto (Rotman School of Management), and MSc (summa cum laude) in Economics and Management of New Technologies from Bocconi University, Milan. In 2009-10 he was a visiting student at Harvard University. He has presented his research on proximity and innovation at a variety of institutions including Harvard University, MIT, Yale University, London Business School.