STEM Genesis will harness the surge in cryptocurrency investment to fund innovation in STEM that tackles global challenges and helps meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Dr Jackie Lighten – STEM Genesis founder, University of Exeter– says the project is building a decentralised finance (DeFi) ‘ecosystem’ to support STEM around the world.
“Most research grants come from taxpayers’ money distributed by governments to national institutions. STEM Genesis will create a new approach to fund research and applied technology irrespective of national or institutional affiliations,” Dr Lighten said.
He added: “Most people are unaware of the DeFi revolution being driven by cryptocurrency, and the scale of money being invested.”
“We will help people to leverage their digital capital in a globally sustainable manner.”
“STEM Genesis will create a link between the rapid growth of cryptocurrency and investment in real world STEM innovation, where development of technological advances is the key to sustainable human existence.”
“I firmly believe this is going to be a game-changer and help the DeFi community realise that they hold the power to change the world, and will also show everyday people that cryptocurrencies can be translated in to real-world impact and benefit.” A major feature of the recent cryptocurrency boom has been Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) – unique digital items such as artwork that can be traded, sometimes for high sums (one sold for $69 million earlier this year).
STEM Genesis will offer its first NFTs, called Pixel Pongos, on December 12 this year to celebrate its announcement, which are inspired by the hugely successful CyberKongz NFT collection.
Owning a Pongo (scientific name for orangutan) allows community building around the STEM Genesis vision for future growth to better those within and outside of DeFi, and to improve the health of our planet.
The vision is to then develop a STEM Genesis crypto-coin.
The aim is for this coin is to allow people to directly invest in partnered STEM projects, and also gain exclusive rewards.