|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
✅ Why this is viable / What i / is technology-focused
The movement commonly referred to as Decentralised Science (“DeSci”) is essentially about using blockchain / Web3 tools + community-governance to fund, share & validate research in a more open, less gate-kept way. chain.link
Some key advantages include:
- Community-driven funding rather than traditional grants via institutions. SSRN+1
- Transparent ledger / smart-contract mechanisms for funding milestones, tracking spend, rewards (e.g., tokenised work) ULAM LABS+1
- More openness in publishing, peer review, reproducibility as part of the ecosystem. OSL Crypto Exchange
- Potential for borderless participation (you’re in Tel Aviv, global funders) and tech research (fits your domain).
However, there are important risks / caveats:
- Many initiatives are still early-stage, governance frameworks are immature. Frontiers+1
- Legal/regulatory frameworks are unclear, especially across jurisdictions (Israel/US/other). Tangem Wallet
- Quality control, fraud risk, and sustainability of funding models remain concerns. Tangem Wallet
- You’ll likely still need to present a strong proposal, give clarity on deliverables, milestones, etc.
In short: this is not a replacement for all traditional grants yet, but it is a parallel channel, and for a research initiative that is novel (as yours is) it may present a strategic advantage.
🎯 Some concrete decentralised funding / platforms
Here are a few platforms and mechanisms you should explore. I’ll pick a few that seem especially relevant to your tech-blockchain/research interest.
Platform: SingularityNET / “Deep Funding”
- Their programme called “Deep Funding” focuses on decentralised, beneficial AGI & related tech. DeepFunding
- Provides milestone-based funding, open to global contributors, research→product orientation.
- For your case: you could pitch something under “tech research / blockchain infrastructure / open science support” axis.
- Tip: When you apply, emphasise deliverables, IP ownership, how you align with decentralised ethos (community, open access).
Broader DeSci DAO / Community-driven funding
- There is a guide “How to Get Your Research Funded by a DeSci DAO” which outlines how to approach these. ResearchHub Foundation Blog
- The article covers steps: find the DAO, understand its governance, prepare your proposal, engage community, then secure funding.
- For your ecosystem (you’ve built a platform + have a brand) that could work: identify a DAO aligned with “blockchain, open science, developers” and pitch your initiative.
- Tip: You may need to join the community, participate, build trust, maybe contribute small-scale first.
General DeSci ecosystem
- There are surveys and papers analysing the DeSci environment: how funding works, constraints, best practices. SSRN+1
- One important mechanism: quadratic funding or token-based funding where community votes + contributions determine resource allocation. ULAM LABS
- Another: tokenisation of intellectual property (IP-NFTs) so you retain stake in outcomes. SSRN
- Tip: Because you’re working in a niche (discontinuous analysis, semigroups) you could emphasise novel math + open source tooling + blockchain integration — a good fit for a DeSci model.
🔍 How you might approach this (step-by-step)
Given your background (math research, blockchain, developer platform), here is a tailored approach:
- Clarify your narrative & deliverables
- You have your “discontinuous analysis” framework — make a clear pitch: what are we solving, why decentralised funding is needed vs traditional, what is the milestone plan, what community/developer benefit emerges.
- Emphasise how your project aligns with open science / blockchain ethos: open-source, global participation, reproducible results, developer tools.
- Identify relevant DAOs/platforms
- Explore DeSci DAOs: search for ones funding math/technology or blockchain research.
- Check SingularityNET’s Deep Funding rounds.
- Join those communities (Discord, Telegram, forums) to get visibility.
- Evaluate their criteria: funding size, governance model, IP expectations.
- Prepare a strong proposal
- Include summary, objectives, methodology, timeline, budget (if required), deliverables.
- Define what success looks like (e.g., library, paper, canisters built, SDK released).
- Articulate how you’ll engage community (since decentralised funding often rewards community participation).
- Possibly include token incentive model or DAO governance participation if applicable.
- Engage the community ahead of applying
- Many DAOs value early engagement: you build reputation, show you’re credible.
- For your case: share blog posts, GitHub repo of your math framework, maybe a smaller proof-of-concept project.
- Leverage your developer platform (IC Pack etc) to show you have reach.
- Apply and follow through
- Submit when funding round opens.
- If funded, ensure you meet milestone commitments, meet transparency requirements, maybe produce public reports or open-source your work as agreed.
- Leverage success for further funding & visibility
- Once you deliver results, you can show your working track record to future funders (traditional or decentralised).
- You can also integrate tokenised IP or community governance to further grow your ecosystem.
⚠️ Some important things to watch / questions to ask
- What are the governance terms of the DAO / funding body? Are decisions transparent? Who votes? What are token-holding rules?
- What are IP rights / licensing — will you have to give up rights or are you free?
- What are milestones and deliverables — what if you miss them? Are there clawbacks?
- For cross-border participants: What are the legal / tax / regulatory implications (Israel → global, token incomes, crypto tax, etc).
- What is the exit path (if any) for the funder: do you need tokens, revenue sharing, equity? Make sure it fits your long-term vision.
- Risk of token value fluctuations, governance capture by whales, immature frameworks. (See DeSci risk section) Tangem Wallet+1