BioDAOs
Last updated
Last updated
BioDAOs are community-owned scientific research networks. They typically focus on a specific scientific or medical area, and use the power of a globally distributed collective of stakeholders (e.g., patients, scientists and biotech builders) to accelerate the R&D process and develop new IP. BioDAO members pool together resources (data, capital, labor) for the mission of the DAO. By sharing resources, these communities can reduce the cost of innovation and time to commercialization.
BioDAOs raise funding via token sales, and use their treasuries to back and develop biotech projects related to their mission, creating shared IP ownership between their members. BioDAOs use Molecule's onchain IP framework to own, license, and transact in intellectual property generated from the projects they support. BioDAO proceeds from IP and product sales can flow back into the bioDAO's treasuries to fund and translate the next generation of R&D, further advancing the bioDAO’s mission.
BioDAOs have several advantages over traditional scientific models:
Capital Efficiency: Pooled resources lower innovation costs
Flexible Work Model: Enable part-time expert contributions
Shared IP Ownership: Incentivize contributions through IP ownership
Open Access: Remove gatekeeping in scientific funding and decision-making
Diversified Portfolio: Bundle many biotech projects simultaneously, reducing risk.
Success Stories:
VitaDAO: Funded $5M+ in longevity science, backed by Pfizer Ventures, partnered with Newcastle University.
HairDAO: Targeting hair loss; DAO-owned patent and consumer product, Follicool.
CerebrumDAO: Advancing brain health, raised over $1.5M, struck a deal with Fission Pharma to tackle mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegenerative disease.
ValleyDAO: Focusing on synthetic biology, raised $2M+ and partnered with Imperial College London.
AthenaDAO: Advancing women’s health R&D, funded $500k in translational research, with 14 IP deals pending.
CryoDAO: Advancing the field of cryogenics, raised over $3M for the field, established projects with Oxford Cryotechnology & Advanced Neural Biosciences.
Early acceptances in BIO Cohort 2:
Long COVID Labs: Accelerating a cure for 100M+ Long COVID patients. Founded by Rohan Dixit, ex-Stanford Neuroscientist, healthcare entrepreneur and Long COVID survivor.
Quantum Biology DAO: Building quantum microscopes to advance bio research. Founded by Clarice D. Aiello, MIT PhD and world-leading Quantum Biology Scientist, and Geoff Anders, Executive Director of Leverage Research.
Curetopia (Rare Diseases): Tackling the $1T+ rare disease space by uniting families and patient communities. Founded by Ethan Perlstein, Harvard PhD, entrepreneur & Y-Combinator alumnus.
