New funding source for independent researchers

Science : A new program will fund revolutionary science by do-it-yourself scientists and those with startup companies that aren’t far enough along to attract venture capital, writes Jocelyn Kaiser for Science. Peter Thiel, a cofounder of PayPal and investor in Facebook, originated the concept for Breakout Labs , which is offering grants to independent researchers working on radical ideas. The foundation hopes to make 10 to 20 awards in the first year, ranging from $50 000 to $350 000, and scientists in any discipline can apply. In return, the grantees must publish in open-access journals and help support more projects, either by sharing a portion of future royalties with Breakout Labs or by assigning intellectual property to the program. How long Breakout Labs will run depends on the quality of the proposals it attracts, said program founder and executive director Lindy Fishburne.