## Problem Statement

Funding science through current processes can be a headache for researchers and a bureaucratic mess.

![Problem statement image](https://i.imgur.com/uQgEelv.png 'A $16 trillion global research funding gap')

### There is a 16 TRILLION dollar global research funding gap

Traditional funding sources can't keep up with the accelerating pace of human innovation. Scientists can spend more than 50% of their time looking for new funding sources and 85% of funding proposals go unfunded every year. Scientists and researchers must tap into new markets for funding and sharing their work. Science needs an interactive and engaging platform for funding scientific research.

Source: [US Congressional Research Service 2022 Report](https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/R44283.pdf)

### Traditional centralized funding mechanisms heavily favor incumbents

Traditional research funding sources can often be limited to established researchers, which can make it difficult for new and emerging researchers to secure funding for their work. This can create a barrier to entry for individuals from diverse backgrounds or those with innovative ideas that challenge existing paradigms. Additionally, traditional funding sources often prioritize short-term results over long-term research and may be subject to political or commercial interests, which can limit the potential for groundbreaking discoveries and breakthroughs or lead to biased or skewed research outcomes. Traditional funding sources can be highly competitive and can create an environment that favors individuals with strong networks or those who are more adept at navigating the bureaucracy of the funding process.

### Non-scientists are increasingly affected by but hardly involved in the current scientific process

Government funded research is the largest source of global research funding, with the United States leading the way. Unfortunately, however, only a small group of individuals has any say over which projects get selected for funding and the broader community has no ability to capitalize on the returns of their “investment” (if you want to consider taxes an investment). Once these research projects are complete, the results are often locked behind paywalls that are owned by centralized publishers and never make it to the public eye. In the United States, this extractive process has contributed to an outsized expenditure on research for military applications, instead of research that can directly benefit communities (sustainability, clean energy, cognitive medicine, the list goes on…).

**Imagine if instead you could select the research that your contributions support and transparently track the progress of the projects you’re passionate about in an engaging and interactive way.**

Sources: [UNESCO Institute for Statistics](http://uis.unesco.org/apps/visualisations/research-and-development-spending/), [Science.org](https://www.science.org/content/article/rise-defense-spending-means-smaller-increase-science-new-u-s-budget)

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## The Solution

![The solution image](https://i.imgur.com/2UoKj94.png 'Science needs inTheory')

inTheory is gamifying the process of funding scientific research. By leveraging exportable 3D avatars, composable PFPs, and digital trophies/NFTs, inTheory connects researchers to gamers and science enthusiasts and provides them with a novel method for sharing and funding their work. inTheory is taking science to the next level.

inTheory provides researchers and science DAOs with a low-touch tool for earning supplementary funding by tapping into the multi-billion dollar gaming and avatar markets. inTheory is globally accessible to researchers of all types and can provide early-career or underrepresented researchers with much needed support.

inTheory users can showcase their support for science across the metaverse and gaming platforms that they're already using. Each funding contribution earns new accessories, poses, backgrounds, and trophies that can be exported in industry-standard file types for use in Unity, Blender, Unreal Engine, and more. Each collectible exists as a digital NFT, meaning that it can be traded, sold, and publicly verified on the blockchain.

inTheory connects players and science enthusiasts to the research community and builds a community-governed foundation for the creator economy for scientists. **It's time for science to level up.**

![Platform features image](https://i.imgur.com/ppeioSk.png 'inTheory platform features')

### Composable avatars and PFPs that reflect contributions towards science

- Create a 3D avatar of your likeness using text-to-3D generative AI
- Unlock new accessories, poses, and backgrounds in the form of tradeable NFT collectibles by funding scientific research
- Export your avatar as a PFP or 3D character to use across social profiles or the metaverse

### Project-inspired generative artworks that commemorate funding contributions

- Collect project-inspired generative artworks with every funding contribution
- Display your artworks in your digital trophy room or trade them as NFTs
- Order physical prints to showcase in your home, lab, office, or classroom

### Community-driven gamification of research funding

- Compete in funding tournaments and earn 1 of 1 cosmetic rewards for winning
- Unlock new achievements for learning about and supporting research
- Climb the leaderboards to prove your support for science

### Interoperability across web2/web3 GameFi and social platforms

**Funding science is cool** – show it off to your friends and network with:

- Composable PFPs
- Digital and IRL artworks
- Exportable 3D characters for use in games and partner platforms

## Value Added

inTheory can generate significant value for researchers and users:

![Value added image](https://i.imgur.com/Cdxwdu9.png 'inTheory value added')

### 🧬 Researchers and Science DAOs

**Researchers benefit from:**

- An entirely new source of funding and exposure
- A simple, fast, and low-touch onboarding and application process
- No relinquishment of ownership or IP required
- A globally accessible platform to researchers of all types

### 🧑‍💻 Users

**Users and community members benefit from:**

- Science-backed digital status symbols that can be traded or collected as NFTs
- An opportunity to influence the future of human scientific development
- Educational and engaging learning experiences
- Participation in platform governance through DAO participation, governed by the IFXT token
- An early source of scientific research market alpha

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## Current Status & Roadmap

![Current status image](https://i.imgur.com/JAvi7AD.png 'inTheory status')

### Live Beta

Our beta platform is currently live on testnet [here](https://intheory.app)! The beta platform serves as a foundation for the larger inTheory vision and allows users to support research projects by creating project-inspired generative artworks. Funding contributions are conducted on the Polygon or Celo blockchain networks using USD-pegged stablecoins. The platform was entirely designed, built, and tested by our core team. If you would like to participate in beta testing the platform, check out our beta testing program [here](https://intheory-research.notion.site/Welcome-Beta-Testers-3a266b1015614dcd88be90c1bd8aac30).

### Waitlist

We currently have over 500 unique sign-ups to our waitlist for our mainnet launch, with global interest from universities, DAOs, and private research organizations. This was achieved with a $0 marketing budget.

### Roadmap

**Our 2-year roadmap can be seen in the image below:**

![Our roadmap image](https://i.imgur.com/cbyYO9i.png 'inTheory roadmap')