Big Idea:

Centralization of research and data has contributed to the lack of trust in scientific institutions and research, leading to a replicability crisis and wasting of taxpayer funds. The emergence of Web3 and blockchain technology provides a pathway for open access to data and manuscripts to ensure data integrity, scalability, flexibility, and data sovereignty while eliminating data silos. This model will create incentives for scientists to share research, data, and code openly, leading to progress and verifiable discoveries with the potential to improve human lives.

Why It Matters:

Open science practices, including open access to scientific manuscripts, are crucial to decentralize science within the FAIR principles (findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable). 

State Of Play:

VitaDAO is a decentralized biotech company dedicated to longevity science research. They communicate openly on platforms like Discord and Discourse and token holders can vote on strategic decisions.

Key Details:

• 47 out of 53 landmark cancer studies could not be reproduced, indicating a serious replication crisis.
• Decentralized Science (DeSci) utilizes Web3 and blockchain tools like IPFS to democratize access to scientific data, ensuring integrity and reproducibility.
• This shift could revolutionize scientific research, enhancing credibility, fostering collaboration, and increasing the pace of discoveries.
• DeSci initiatives like Molecule Platform, VitaDAO, and Antidote DAO are pioneering new models for funding and conducting scientific research.

What’s Next:

Open science raises questions about the balance between open accessibility and the need to protect sensitive data. However FAIR principles don't mandate blanket data accessibility and decentralized tools like IPFS allow controlled access. Funding agencies are also encouraging data sharing. It seems the adoption of open science practices is becoming essential for progress in scientific research.

Big Idea:

Microsoft has signed a 15-year agreement with Chestnut Carbon, an afforestation developer, to acquire carbon removal credits, with Chestnut providing potentially over 3 million tons of credits from its U.S.-based project.

Why It Matters:

This agreement is part of Microsoft's 2030 carbon negative goal and to remove all historical emissions by 2050, expanding the company's carbon removal portfolio that includes various technologies and approaches. This move reflects a growing trend among big tech like Alphabet and Meta in championing nature-based solutions.

Key Details:

• The project, deemed the largest U.S. afforestation initiative ever registered, aims to remove up to 2.7 million tons of carbon, starting with 362,000 tons in its first phase.
• Chestnut Carbon's approach combines reforestation, afforestation, and improved forest management, restoring marginal lands to plant native species and develop biodiverse ecosystems using proprietary technology and data sets.
• The Chestnut Carbon's project will expand to 500,000 acres, targeting 100 million tons of carbon removal by 2030.
• Following this deal, Microsoft signs another large-scale nature-based credit agreement with Brazilian reforestation startup Mombak, supplying up to 1.5 million credits from Amazon reforestation projects.
• Microsoft's carbon removal portfolio features technologies like direct air capture, ocean-based removal, and biochar methods.

“Microsoft’s 15-year purchase agreement with Chestnut Carbon for afforestation-based carbon removal credits is a positive step towards Microsoft’s carbon negative goals. We are excited to collaborate with Chestnut and its Sustainable Restoration Project for high-quality, nature-based solutions located in the United States,” said Brian Marrs, Senior Director of Energy & Carbon Removal at Microsoft.

What's Next:

The success of this project may boost future investments in nature-based carbon removal solutions.

Big Idea:

This past year, new decentralized RPC (Remote Procedure Call) networks have emerged, indicating a growing interest in the value of decentralized web3 networks. DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure) utilizes blockchain technology and token incentives to create decentralized physical infrastructure networks, offering an alternative to traditional models like AWS or Google Cloud. 

‍Why It Matters:

Grove is the first and largest RPC provider on a permissionless network (Pocket Network). Independent companies and RPC providers are opting to run gateways on Pocket or leverage Grove's services instead of managing all their nodes independently.

‍The Intrigue:

Grove has raised $7.9 million from Avon Ventures, Placeholder Capital, and Druid Ventures. The funding will be used to establish new partnerships, aiming to propel DePIN into mainstream adoption within the blockchain ecosystem. Their web3 infrastructure, powered by its POKT network, supports over 40 different chains with its native token (POKT). POKT has a market cap of over $150 million.

“Only a decentralized RPC protocol can handle the rapidly expanding universe of blockchains as we head deeper into a multichain world.” Said Joel Monegro of Placeholder VC. “The POKT team has delivered this key piece of infrastructure and we’re excited to see Grove make it even easier for companies and developers to use the network for their applications.”

‍Key Details:

• Grove aims to simplify the decentralization process for gateway providers and projects to build on top of Pocket Network, allowing partners to focus on core features.
• Grove processes tens of thousands of relays per second, passing customer performance tests, and offering competitive and transparent pricing.
• The company has established partnerships with notable entities like Aave, APY.vision, Infura, and others, showcasing the viability of building a successful business on top of a decentralized protocol.

‍What’s Next:

The trend is clear that web3 infrastructure will be decentralized to support a multichain world.