DeSci Ecosystem Status
The Movement We Started Needs Fixing
DeSci has grown from our small Berlin think tank into a global movement. But growth without principles creates problems. Here's our honest assessment of where things stand — and why we're back.
What's Working
- ✓VitaDAO has channeled real funding into longevity research with Pfizer Ventures backing
- ✓DeSci Labs built working open-access publishing infrastructure with Research Object NFTs
- ✓The concept of decentralized science funding has reached mainstream awareness
- ✓Ethereum.org now has a dedicated DeSci page — institutional legitimacy grows
What's Broken
- ✗Token speculation dominates — many DeSci tokens crashed 90%+ after hype cycles
- ✗Some BioDAOs marketed tokens without funding any meaningful research
- ✗Value extraction over value creation — players enriching themselves, not science
- ✗True decentralization remains inconsistent — many projects are decentralized in name only
How We Fix It
- →DeSciCommons: standards and best practices so DeSci projects can't just extract value
- →AI + Blockchain convergence: automate reproducibility, streamline peer review
- →Focus on actual scientists — not just crypto speculators wearing lab coats
- →A decade of credibility and experience to hold the ecosystem accountable
Current DeSci Ecosystem
VitaDAO
Longevity Research
est. 2021
Molecule
Biotech IP Tokenization
est. 2018
ResearchHub
Open Peer Review
est. 2020
DeSci Labs
Research Objects (RO-NFTs)
est. 2021
AthenaDAO
Women's Health Research
est. 2022
ValleyDAO
Synthetic Biology
est. 2022
GenomesDAO
Genomic Data Ownership
est. 2021
Bio Protocol
BioDAO Coordination
est. 2023
50+ projects now populate the DeSci ecosystem — built on foundations we laid starting in 2015.