It takes more than a great idea to accomplish a great project. Our research and experience have convinced us that many worthy projects wither or are never launched because neither academic laboratories, start-up firms nor government facilities can support them.
This applies particularly to projects that would produce public goods, such as data sets or tools, that could make research faster and easier. Few research-enabling projects will be commercially viable enough to attract venture capital.
Image: Mouse neurons imaged using a method similar to one being developed as a high-throughput tool by a focused research organization. Credit: P. W. Tillberg et al./Nature Biotechnol.