may2014
55
BoydFarrow
roundsupthelatestnewsfromthebusinessworldacrossthenetwork
Inacitygrippedbyentrepreneurismand idealism, ResearchGate
isshapingup tobeBerlin’sstandout start-up. Thecompany,
whichapplies thedynamicsof social networking to thebusiness
of academia (asco-founder IjadMadischputs it, “We’rekinda
likeFacebook for scientists”), nowhasmore than fourmillion
members–acceleratingscientificbreakthroughs.
“Theworst thingabout research is that it happens
in isolation. There issomuchduplicationofworkand
somanypeoplegodownblindalleysbecause they
haveno-one to run theoriesby,” saysMadisch,who
trainedasavirologist beforehewasbittenby the
entrepreneurial bug.Now, hesays, his twoaimsare to
increasescientificdiscoveriesand towinaNobel Prize.
TheResearchGatesite lookssimilar toFacebook,
butmemberspost their researchandself-archivework.
Its list of successstories isgrowing.Onestudent in the
Philippinesbelievedhe’d foundawayof creatingenergy
fromcorncobs.Whenaprofessor toldhimhis research
was flawed, heposted it onResearchGateas faileddata.
Thepostwasviewedbyanorganicchemist inSpain,
whosawpotential, and thepairdevelopeda technique
for creatingbiofuel.
ResearchGateearns its revenuesbycarrying
recruitment adsbut potential revenuestreams include
conferencesandan “Amazon”marketplace for lab
equipment. Last summer thecompanybagged€25m
in financing,withanundisclosedchunkcoming from
Bill Gates. Paypal founderPeterThielwasalreadyan
investor. “Bill immediatelyunderstoodwhatwe’reabout andhow
socialmediacanbringscientific research into the21st century,”
saysMadisch. “Thiswill help thingshappenmuch faster. The
Gatesname tends tomakewaves.”
Thecompany recentlymadewaveswhenKennethKa-HoLee,
astemcell researcher inHongKong, usedResearchGate to
debunkahighlypublicisedstudy,whichseeminglyheraldeda
neweraof regenerativemedicine. This resulted in thestudy’s
authorsbacktrackingandawholeswatheof expensive research
changingdirection. Lee isnowusingResearchGate to live-blog
his latest attempt togenerateanew typeof stemcell,withother
scientistscollaborating fromall over theworld.
ResearchGate’scollegiateopen-planofficesareasimilarly
global affair. Lookingmore likeaDJ thanascientist,Madisch
sayshis 150-or-socolleaguescome fromeverycorner of the
world. “That’s thegreat thingaboutBerlin. Youget thebrightest,
most innovativepeoplecominghere,wanting tobe involved
insomethingcool. Draggingscientific research into the21st
century–what couldbecooler than that?”
Friendswithbenefits
FLYTO
BERLIN
fivetimesdaily.
brusselsairlines.com
