In Italy, it is known that funds for research are increasingly scarce. Institutes and companies operating in this field can fortunately find an ally in alternative finance, particularly crowdfunding.
Public spending on research has for several years now stood at around 0.5 per cent of GDP, a percentage that puts us below the EU average (2.2 per cent) and translated into euros means around 9 billion per year.
However, the decline in public funding for science is a general trend and even where we would not expect it (the United States or the United Kingdom, for example) it is causing great concern. The consequence is the material difficulty of giving weight and continuity to study projects. Patents, inventions, discoveries in the technological and medical fields suffer from a lack of funds, so much so that we often look abroad for funding and cooperation.
Fortunately, the fintech world has begun to see the first attempts to invest in scientific research. Examples are innovative start-ups and SMEs such as Fuidia and Biogenera that have raised millions of euros through equity crowdfunding. So what are the ingredients for a successful campaign to support scientific research?
1. A clear and transparent offer
First and foremost, a clear and effective presentation of the project and its relevance is essential: it is necessary to explain clearly and avoiding technicalities what one wants to do and what the positive effects of that research will be for the community or even for a group of people, as may be the case for example if one is dealing with a rare disease.
2. Create opportunities for different types of investment
In addition, it is necessary to create an articulated possibility of participation that takes into account the different types of investors that might be interested in the project - from individual to professional investors. A targeted reward system should be devised for each.
3. Communication and real-time updates
Constant and multi-channel updates on the results of the capital-raising campaign are also very important, including the use of social media but also in-person events: the evolution of the raising and the project should be accompanied day by day. If possible, it would also be a good idea to organise presentations and meetings with the public of potential investors.
4. Touch and meet the people behind the projects
These moments when it is possible to come into contact with the companies behind the campaigns also serve to 'put your face to it'. The appeal and credibility of the proponents can make all the difference. The researcher who tells his research in the first person and who lets his passion shine through, opening himself up to the public, has a better chance of making inroads and finding the right investor who believes in his work and the project.
5. A broad but selected network of contacts
Finally, of fundamental importance are the contacts that the platform chosen to host the capital-raising campaign can generate and count on. In this regard, 2meet2biz.com provides selected companies with a network of professional investors for the growth of European start-ups, scale-ups and SMEs, and is currently hosting a successful crowdfunding campaign for Biogenera in support of personalised DNA cures for diseases hitherto considered incurable.
Read more - https://www.2meet2biz.com/it/home#anchor_projects