A quick glance at the most popular crowdfunding websites reveals that they feature hundreds of project types, but most of them are associated with entertainment. ScienceShip is a unique platform that allows web surfers to finance various research and science projects and gives entrepreneurs an opportunity to find new business ideas.

The founders of ScienceShip, Grzegorz Mączyński and Robert Murzynowski, consider ScienceShip to be a means to commercialize science. “People are eager to finance new projects, but these are typically associated with new technologies, publishing games or records and organizing events. We want to connect the world of business with research institutions and scientists,” said Mączyński. As a former defense attorney, he has a legal background. Murzynowski gained vast experience while working as a project manager.

There are many similar platforms already available – Experiment.com, Crowd.Science and ScienceStarter, to name a few. Still, ScienceShip offers some unique solutions such as direct communication channels to investors and organizing competitions for scientists. ScienceShip will also allow the users to “vote” on projects, basing on their potential for commercial application. Investors will get a chance to compete for the title of the golden patron of science.

This type of crowdfunding might become an alternative for research grants, but these two forms of funding can complement each other. “Scientists can apply for grants to financial institutions and simultaneously start a campaign on ScienceShip,” said professor Maciej Banach, who is a cardiologist and the president of the Science Council at ScienceShip. “These two ways of funding don’t exclude each other – means obtained during the crowdfunding campaign may be used as own contribution to projects financed from public or European Union grants.”

ScienceShip supports projects from all branches of science. Even though their primary concern are medicine, biotechnology and ecology, other fields such as humanities, engineering, economy and exact sciences will be equally welcome. All projects must be first verified by an international Science Council to assess whether they comply to quality standards. ScienceShip receives a 6% commission from every crowdfunding campaign.

First projects and contests are already available on the ScienceShip website.