Understanding the DeSci space
Sign up for bi-weekly updates on the DeSci space. By Inês Silva.
Last December, I decided to go deep on Web3. I’ve been buying and selling bitcoin and eth for a few years but never paying too much attention. This time as I was looking at the technology landscape I saw this emergent space where a lot was happening. In a way, it reminded me of the excitement I felt in 2010, 2011, and 2012 when everyone wanted to change the world through tech entrepreneurship.
As I started looking at the space, first DeFi, then NFTs, I stumbled upon DeSci. I’ve been passionate about science, scientific research, and tech transfer for more than a decade. Over the years, I worked with TTOs and researchers on multiple occasions to help accelerate their go-to-market and overcome many of its hurdles.
But I never felt satisfied with the results and looking at DeSci I saw others trying to solve many of the problems I’ve identified, among them:
Research incentives misalignment
Lack of access to scientific papers
Reproducibility crisis
Funding sources
Valley of death
Researcher to CEO transition.
As I started to dig deeper, I got even more excited about what is happening. Lots of talent flocking to the space. Lots of energy and enthusiasm to try new approaches and a big focus on creating a positive impact.
But what is DeSci? According to Sarah Hamburg in her foundation article on the space “A Guide to DeSci, the Latest Web3 Movement”
The DeSci movement aims to enhance scientific funding; unleash knowledge from silos; eliminate reliance on profit-hungry intermediaries such as publisher conglomerates, and increase collaboration across the field.
With such a big mission and fast pace, I’ve decided to jump on board and create this newsletter to document what’s happening in the space and provide an optimistic view of what we’re all trying to build.
Every other week, I’ll share the most exciting news, interviews, articles, grants, job opportunities, and events. I also want to provide an in-depth analysis of some of the projects appearing in the space.
So join me. Let’s accelerate the future!
-Inês Silva
Follow me on Twitter: @isss111
Follow this newsletter on Twitter: @DeSciWeekly
Signup and join me on this DeSci Journey.
About the author
Inês Santos Silva is currently on sabbatical and going deep into the areas of Web3 (particularly #DeSci) and health (digital health, women's health, and longevity).
Inês is a Co-founder and Chief Activist at Portuguese Women in Tech, a community focused on attracting more women to tech and on supporting those that are already working in technology. And the founder of Women(dot)Business, a social business focused on creating more corporate procurement opportunities for women-owned and women-led businesses.
Inês serves as a Strategic Advisor to the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and as a Non-Executive Board Member at Almedina, a historical Portuguese publisher.
She reads a lot of books and enjoys deep, intellectual conversations. You can follow Inês favorite reads in her monthly newsletter.
Inês has expertise in innovation, entrepreneurship, strategy, business, tech transfer, diversity and inclusion, community building, and social innovation.