DeSci Belgrade 2024
DeSci Belgrade is a 2-day conference exploring and showcasing the potential of blockchain technology and decentralisation within science. Over the course of two days, we’re hosting talks, discussions and workshops focused on decentralised science (DeSci) projects and ideas aiming to rethink and improve everything from science funding and publishing, to data and regulatory constraints.
Part of Belgrade Blockchain Week and affiliated with ETH Belgrade. Expect almost a thousand web3 geeks from all over the world enjoying Belgrade and collaborating at the most beautiful time of the year.
This year’s second conference edition is focused on 4 main themes.
FUNDING
& FINANCING
Can we reinvent or improve how science is funded because the current ways have so many shortcomings?
A wide range of DAOs are revolutionising how cutting edge-research is financed – what are their stories, methods and early successes? How do these “new science organisations” operate? How can anyone new and super passionate start them? Tens of millions of dollars are already distributed this way.
Are decentralised autonomous organisations and mechanisms alike the future of science funding? There are several active and prominent BioDAOs conducting experiments in decentralised biotech and pharma – how does the world they imagine look like?
How can scientists and researchers utilise global pools of capital to finance their work? The word has become global, and so has the financing of scientific endeavours.
STARTUP CITIES & NETWORK STATES
What would happen if we could step out of the regulatory constraints and do science that is illegal? How can we accelerate scientific progress by overcoming regulatory constraints? Or if scientists were living in new cities, dedicated to solving the hardest challenges – would that accelerate inventions?
These ambitious ideas are actually already tested out in places like Prospera, Vitalia and other Network State platforms. It might sound crazy, but: should we start new countries? Or just cities? Why not?
SCIENTIFIC PUBLISHING & OPEN-SOURCE RESEARCH
Science is not only inaccessible – the whole scientific publishing industry is not fair and isn’t rewarding the hard work by dedicated scientific personnel.
$17B/y industry should be reinvented ASAP!
Many projects are trying to redesign it – how are they doing it? How can valuable inputs be rewarded in more productive ways? What are some of the new incentive mechanisms that are being tested at this very moment by science entrepreneurs and innovators?
Building on open science and open data movements – we can and should do much more.
DATA & AI
The future of science is AI, and AI needs A LOT of data. Decentralised technology stack can unlock droves of data that can fuel next-generation AI-led discoveries.
Think of personal patient data that can be utilised in novel ways, and where data contributors can be rewarded for their contributions? Blockchains and confidential computing can revolutionise science. What if you can contribute to revolutionary science by providing your data, and if you could get paid for doing so? Many projects are experimenting in that area.
AGENDA + INSTRUCTIONS
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yN4i3IpL2qm6RYuR5fTqNJanA0Gzod17GZg4obzDTGE/edit?usp=sharing