A gamified approach to finding real-world applications for scientific innovations

UK-based Marblar aims to connect scientists and the entrepreneurial crowds to help brainstorm real-world applications for promising scientific research.

Back in 2010 we featured Swedish Mobile Heights Business Center, an initiative that gives entrepreneurs access to untapped patents for potential development into business ideas. Now taking a crowdsourced, gaming-based approach to much the same need, UK-based Marblar aims to connect scientists and the entrepreneurial crowds to help brainstorm real-world applications for promising scientific research. Technology transfer – or the process of translating research into applications – is generally a very closed process, involving only a handful of people, Marblar says. The result “leaves between 95-99% of discoveries in the filing cabinet (source),” the company explains. “We believe getting more eyeballs on these new discoveries could help find great uses for a significant chunk of this pile of patents.” Toward that end, Marblar – which is now gearing up for its official launch – will invite scientists to post their untapped discoveries on the site. The interested crowds, meanwhile, can then browse those discoveries and brainstorm ways they could be used in the real world. Along the way, users can create profiles, meet and talk with other members, and earn points and cash for their contributions, possibly even getting the opportunity to join any startups that result. In short, “Marblar’s a right-brained buffet – and we’re about to open the kitchen,” the company says. Marblar is now accepting requests for custom profile URLs for use when the site opens. Scientists and entrepreneurs: one to get involved in? Spotted by: Murtaza Patel