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THE QUEST FOR TRUST IN DECENTRALISED FINANCE : SCREENING OWNERSHIP IN HIGH TECH START-UPS

Gartner, Johannes and Moro, Andrea LU (2025) 85th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, AOM 2025 In Academy of Management Annual Meeting Proceedings 2025(1).
Abstract

Building on the role of trust in finance and screening theory, our research explores the correlation between founders occupying leadership positions such as CEO, CTO, or CFO and the funds raised through Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs). We analyse data from 2,047 ICOs between 2017 and 2021 and reveal that founders occupying positions of authority within their organisations are perceived by investors as a signal of commitment. This enhances investor trust in the venture and leads to increased funding raised. We highlight the crucial role of the CTO in building trust and investors’ preference for multiple founders occupying leadership roles simultaneously.

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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Academy of Management Annual Meeting Proceedings
volume
2025
issue
1
publisher
Academy of Management
conference name
85th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, AOM 2025
conference location
Copenhagen, Denmark
conference dates
2025-07-25 - 2025-07-29
external identifiers
  • scopus:105009412577
ISSN
0065-0668
DOI
10.5465/AMPROC.2025.356bp
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2025, Academy of Management. All rights reserved.
id
81ca3135-647a-402c-b451-7d2d452360cd
date added to LUP
2026-01-20 14:11:50
date last changed
2026-01-20 14:12:08
@article{81ca3135-647a-402c-b451-7d2d452360cd,
  abstract     = {{<p>Building on the role of trust in finance and screening theory, our research explores the correlation between founders occupying leadership positions such as CEO, CTO, or CFO and the funds raised through Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs). We analyse data from 2,047 ICOs between 2017 and 2021 and reveal that founders occupying positions of authority within their organisations are perceived by investors as a signal of commitment. This enhances investor trust in the venture and leads to increased funding raised. We highlight the crucial role of the CTO in building trust and investors’ preference for multiple founders occupying leadership roles simultaneously.</p>}},
  author       = {{Gartner, Johannes and Moro, Andrea}},
  issn         = {{0065-0668}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{Academy of Management}},
  series       = {{Academy of Management Annual Meeting Proceedings}},
  title        = {{THE QUEST FOR TRUST IN DECENTRALISED FINANCE : SCREENING OWNERSHIP IN HIGH TECH START-UPS}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.5465/AMPROC.2025.356bp}},
  doi          = {{10.5465/AMPROC.2025.356bp}},
  volume       = {{2025}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}