SCIENTIFIC CROWDFUNDING MARKET IN RUSSIA: ANALYSIS AND ASSESSMENT OF PROSPECTS

Abstract

One of the main problems of Russian science is the lack of sufficient funding. State funding is the major source of providing research work in Russia. This study provides an overview of scientific crowdfunding in Russia as a new tool for financial support and research funding. The study examines the prospect of crowdfunding as a tool for financing and stimulating initiatives in Russian science. Within the framework of this study, an analysis of the current situation on the scientific crowdfunding market and an assessment of the directions of its development in Russia were carried out. It was revealed that the United States is the world center of crowdfunding. American crowdfunding platforms occupy most of the crowdfunding market share. The Russian market of scientific crowdfunding is not a full-fledged tool that can currently become an alternative to state financing. The theoretical analysis carried out within the framework of this scientific research convincingly shows that the national market of scientific crowdfunding is concentrated only on Planeta.ru and Boomstarter, the largest crowdfunding platforms of the country. It was revealed that creative and cultural crowd-funding projects are the leaders of the Russian crowdfunding market. It was also revealed that Planeta.ru is the first Russian platform that opened a special category for scientific research. It was found that the scale of accumulated funds of scientific projects of Planeta.ru exceeds Boomstarter. According to the results of the theoretical analysis, it was also found that Planeta.ru has more effective long-term strategy for the development and stimulation of scientific initiatives, and Boomstarter has more efficient short-term management decisions. On the one hand, scientists use crowdfunding as a source of co-financing of research or as an alternative to grant support, on the other hand, they do not accept such a fundraising tool. Based on the results of the analysis of interviews and literature, the tools for promotion of scientific crowdfunding and stimulation of its growth that include educational activities, the presence of crowdfunding producers in science and a model of synergy of information resources of academic structures and the experience of crowdfunding platforms, were identified. Educational activities are aimed at popularizing scientific crowdfunding, as well as encouraging more authors to use this tool and increasing the percentage of financially successful projects.