Brazilian Immigrant Entrepreneurs in Portugal and the Challenges of Crowdfunding

Abstract

The objective of the study is to understand the degree of knowledge that immigrant entrepreneurs in Portugal have about crowdfunding and the predisposition they have for using this financial mechanism, and the related perceptions about benefits and risks. The chapter uses a quantitative approach, based on an online survey sent to immigrant entrepreneurs in Portugal. The results show that immigrant entrepreneurs have some knowledge about the general features of CF. However, most of them are not aware of the specificities of CF business models. Regarding the predisposition for using CF, the research reveals that although there is some predisposition, it is not very high among Brazilian immigrant entrepreneurs. The results also show that the respondents recognise the benefits of CF, specifically the project's visibility that the CF platform can offer. However, immigrant entrepreneurs' main concern is essentially related to the fear of not being able to obtain the necessary pledging goal.