Workshop description: Everybody loves new science and technology. But why can only scientists and engineers be part of the fun of discovering or inventing new stuff? Because science is difficult, dangerous and expensive. Or is it really? Could crowdfunding be a new way of supporting exceptional people who have an idea and need some money to test it? Science and innovation do not always require big investments. They require solutions and people who communicate them to society. Crowdfunding Science will give you the opportunity to explore and design a platform to support future citizen driven discoveries.

Crowdfunding has become a popular way to help people launch initiatives that would otherwise never have been funded. This holds especially true for the arts. But science and innovation still lack resources dedicated to short-term and small-scale projects, both outside and within academia or industry.

Come to the Crowdfunding Science breakout session to build and run your own campaign. How should it be designed and implemented? How can a platform attract and coach amateur or professional scientists? How should contributors be rewarded for their support? What role should traditional funding schemes and institutions play in the process? Choose amongst a list of fictional projects, or bring your own ideas and, together with a panel of experts, discuss the opportunities, myths and realities behind the potential impact of crowdfunding platforms for science and innovation. We will try to answer these questions and anticipate the impact of crowdfunding on the next scientific discoveries.