Cell Ag Crowdfunding Challenge (Experiment.com)

Cell Ag Crowdfunding Challenge

Funder: New Harvest Inc (in partnership with Robert Downey Jr.'s FootPrint Coalition and Experiment Foundation)

Geographic Scope: International

Focus Areas:

• Cellular agriculture research (lab and non-lab projects)
• Social science research on cellular agriculture
• Social, economic, and political dimensions of cellular agriculture
• Policy interventions
• Interdisciplinary approaches

Award Details:

• Initial grant: Up to $5,000 per project from New Harvest/FootPrint Coalition
• Additional funds: Projects must crowdfund remaining funds on Experiment.com
• Total funding available: $50,000 across all projects
• Projects reaching crowdfunding goals invited to join New Harvest research community

Eligibility:

• Researchers from any disciplinary background
• Must contribute to public body of knowledge
• Must remain openly accessible
• No university affiliation required
• Prioritizes researchers and projects systematically/structurally excluded from cellular agriculture

Eligible Project Areas:

• Tissue engineering
• Food policy
• Environmental science
• Sociology
• Economics
• Social science research on cell ag
• Research on land use post-cell ag
• Green New Deal integration
• Cell ag electrification
• Bioprocess innovation
• Any discipline applied to cellular agriculture

What is Funded:

• Transformative, otherwise unfundable cell ag projects
• Both laboratory and non-laboratory research
• Public knowledge creation

Support Provided:

• Initial $5,000 grant
• Crowdfunding support and promotion
• Access to New Harvest research community
• Additional support throughout project
• Researcher guide for crowdfunding (available on Experiment.com)

Contact Information:

• breanna@new-harvest.org (for questions)

Background: Partnership with Robert Downey Jr.'s FootPrint Coalition and Experiment Foundation to leverage crowdfunding and combined networks to support bold cell ag projects.

Application Process

Timeline: Rolling admission until funds run out

How to Apply:

1. Go to experiment.com/grants/cellag
2. Create an application account
3. Submit project proposal

Application Platform: Experiment.com (crowdfunding platform for science)

Required Content:

• Project description and research question
• How project contributes to cellular agriculture field
• Explanation of why project is important
• Crowdfunding strategy and goal
• Budget breakdown
• Timeline

Evaluation Criteria:

• Contribution to public body of knowledge
• Relevance to cellular agriculture
• Feasibility and research design
• Potential impact
• Priority given to underrepresented researchers/communities in cell ag

Funding Mechanism:

1. New Harvest provides initial $5,000 grant if project selected
2. Applicant responsible for crowdfunding remaining funds
3. Project creators tap into own networks and Experiment.com audience
4. New Harvest provides promotional support to help reach crowdfunding goals

Resources Provided:

• Researcher guide for crowdfunding (available on Experiment.com)
• Tips for finding audience and tapping into networks
• New Harvest promotional support

Support Upon Funding:

• Invitation to join New Harvest research community
• Additional support during project execution

Questions:
Contact breanna@new-harvest.org if unsure where to start; director happy to discuss project ideas.