The website Kickstarter.com
has emerged as a hip and viable way for individuals or organizations to
get money for their underfunded projects or ideas. The excitement of
crowdfunding has spilled over into the world of science and technology
but practicality and sustainability for this sort of funding model remains in question.
Kickstarter-like websites, such as Microzyra.com and Petridish.org,
strive to help STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)
researchers fund the initial stages of their new and innovative research
projects. Microzyra and Petridish have already successfully helped to
fund a significant number of research projects (60+ according to their
websites). Is crowdfunding an appropriate medium to fund basic
laboratory-based research projects or can these sites be better
utilized?
I
think the best utilization for STEM crowdfunding is to help transition
science or scientific discoveries to commercial products. Products that
will have a more direct and immediate impact on society (ie., medical
device prototypes, science education).
This is best exemplified by iNeuron, a current Kickstarter program released by Andamio Games.
iNeuron is a new iOS-based application that elevates neuroscience
education to a new standard by turning an Apple device into a
multiplayer interactive mobile game. Ideal for the high school setting,
this app teaches basic neuroscience principles using story-based
challenges in combination with network-based student-to-student
interactions (ie., gaming). Pilot studies have shown iNeuron to improve
the retention of basic neuroscience concepts within high school students
(if interested in testing out iNeuron, you can get in on their
beta-testing phase here.).
iNeuron
was developed under funding secured by the National Institute of Mental
Health (NIMH) as part of the Innovative Neuroscience K-12 Education
program (Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR). Thus, rather than use the Kickstarter campaign to fund the development of iNeuron, Andamio Games
is leveraging social media campaign to help expedite the public release
of iNeuron along with its widespread distribution through iTunes.
Campaigns
like iNeuron make the best use of the new science crowdfunding
phenomenon. Microzyra, Petridish and Kickstarter should be leveraged for
projects that help established research or technology transition toward
a more commercially viable and available product. As such, if the
iNeuron Kickstarter program can achieve its funding goal it is likely
that you will see this app appear in iTunes start as quickly as the end
of 2013!
