CrowdScience

How we can change perspectives of research projects

Daniele Tosi
Europe research map
Public scientific
research centers
(university,
government, ...)
102 big

175 mid
Europe research map

102 big
12 research groups

175 mid
8 research groups
 Research projects
Internat. Nation. Industr. Own
projects projects projects projects

Large
0.6 2.5 2.4 1.2
center

Mid
0.4 1.6 1.5 2.1
center

Research projects managed by each group, per year

 Lifetime

• Large research group: 5.9 years

• Medium research group: 2.1 years
• Reusable equipment: 86% /year
• 4.20 yrs / 1.95 yrs equipment lifetime
 Project fundings
270 kE
Money allocated for equipment
- for each research project
- for each research group

115 kE 105 kE
55 kE

Own
Industrial
National
International
 Doing some math
Large research group Mid research group
4.2 yrs x 1.95 yrs x
(0.6 x 270 + (0.4 x 270 +
2.5 x 115 + 1.6 x 115 +
2.4 x 105 + 1.5 x 105 +
1.2 x 55) kE/yr = 2.1 x 55) kE/yr =
= 3.22 ME = 1.10 ME
Value of research centers
 Equipment sharing

• Equipment owned by one research group

can be used by other groups
• Need to understand how equipment is
divided, distributed and requested
• Classified for %time in use
 Equipment
24/7 Full-time Part-time Sharable Burst

% used 80-100% 55-80% 30-55% 5-30% 0-5%

%
0% 2% 32% 61% 92%
available
%
7% 29% 19% 23% 22%
distribut.
%
95% 95% 85% 80% 70%
request
 Doing some math
0% x 7% x 95% +
Each research center
2% x 29% x 95% + can share 31.1% of its
32% x 19% x 85% + equipment. How?
61% x 23% x 80% +
92% x 22% x 70% +
Crowdscience
= 31.1%
Isolated science

Efficiency: 2%

Connections based
on affinity and
previous contacts
Crowd science

Efficiency: 43%

All connections
available and
optimized
 43%?!?

• Yes, 43%
• For example, 100% of my research could
have been crowdsourced
How much?
175 x 8 x 1.10 ME = 1.54 BE

2.25 BE = (43-2)% x 5.48 BE

102 x 12 x 3.22 ME = 3.94 BE

2.25 B€/year
And...
 Surplus
• Research projects over or underestimate expenses

• Most projects cover more money than needed -->

surplus money

• Research projects managers are forced to spend

this overhead

• It looks unprofessional not to spend all the

money allocated for a project (!!!)

• Selfishness: money not spent now will not

come again (!), my money is for my project (!!)
 Surplus
6.5% 6.5% x 270kE + 9.8% x 115kE + 2.6% x 105kE =
= 31.55 kE/yr extra money

9.8% 2.6%

0%

Own
Industrial
National
International
 “Own” projects
Internat. Nation. Industr. Own
projects projects projects projects

Large
1.9 2.5 2.4 1.2
center

Mid
0.8 1.6 1.5 2.1
center
 “Own” projects
• Side projects (not interesting)
• High-potential projects bootstrapped
• Early stage
• Potential high return
• Avg duration: 0.7 yrs

Wireless electricity, the low-cost paper chip for disease detection and
most applications of optical fibers have started from relatively small and
bootstrapped research projects
 “Own” projects
58%
Failure
64% Crack
36% Success
34% 8%
Side projects
High potential
Success Crack
International 0.3 1.7
Return in
terms of National 1.1 1.6
research Industrial 0.5 2.4
projects
Spin-off 0.1 0.8
 Doing some math

• Average ROI:
• Success ROI: 267 kE (return 4.8x)
• Crack ROI: 955 kE (return 17.3x)
• 34% x 267kE + 8% x 955kE = 168 kE
• Average return: 3.05x
 Open bootstrapping?
• Can we use the extra money to fund the 3x projects?

• Bankroll: 31.55kE x (175x8 + 102x12) = 83 ME

• Need: 55kE x (175x8 + 102x12) = 144 ME

• Investment size 61 ME, breakeven: 8.5 months

• 3 years ROI (max): 3.75 BE, 57x (!!!)

• Greedy approach inconvenient!!!

• Open project coaching

Can we really save 2.25 B€/yr
and generate 3.75 B€ in 2 yrs
with just a spreadsheet, a
calendar and a SEO?
 Not really, but...

• IF we integrate all the scientific activity on a single

frame, empowering science 2.0

• IF we integrate publications and conferencing with

the research project management

• IF we modernize the mindset of scientists, changing

the project management approach

• IF we renew legislation and project allocations

then the opportunity is big enough to get going

 Framework
• This draft is NOT a real market analysis
• It comes from
• Googling
• SurveyMonkey
• Personal experience
• But as simple as it is, it defines the
opportunity
 Thank you
Stay tuned for the next episode