Summary: We aimed to build the StackOverflow of science. This is a description of the product we were building, value propositions for both scientists and for advertisers, our business model, and a summary of the competition.

Related: ‣ ‣ Validating the opportunity & carving out a product strategy

Product description

Think StackOverflow but for Biotech. We build an expert network where biotech scientists share information beyond the publication, get troubleshooting support, and build their reputation. The major innovation that we offer are the smooth and fast content creation experience, the type of information exchanged on our platform (functional, validatable, and easy to use), and the reputation building system, which awards content contributors in a way that is meaningful to the broader scientific community.

Consumable, reagents, and equipment providers can also use our platform to provide online troubleshooting support, giving them a dedicated space to add useful methods, protocols, and tips & tricks for their customers. In other words, we give them direct access to their target audience, allowing them to build brand awareness and perform customer discovery.

Value propositions

For Scientists

1. Our expert network & troubleshooting forum provides scientists with troubleshooting support fast, making them feel less isolated in their work.
2. Our expert network & troubleshooting forum allows scientists to find clearly written, peer reviewed and validated methods and protocols for running their experiments.
3. Our expert network & troubleshooting forum gives scientists a faster pathway publishing in order build reputation and quickly grow their impact.

For Reagents, Consumables, Equipment Providers :

• Support customers with a direct channel to assist with troubleshooting.
• Grow brand awareness with dedicated product tags to add methods & protocols.
• Advertise within relevant community posts and discussions.
• Providers can learn about their customers and discover new business opportunities by providing them with data and reports on community discussions and other platform activities.

Market Size

For Materials, Equipment & Service Providers doing digital advertising:

Life sciences Reagents & Consumables spends = $338 Bn Annual [1]

Marketing Spends = $34 Bn Annual [2]

• Marketing budget typically 10% of annual revenue
• Normally spent on conferences & high touch sales

Digital advertising spends = $6.42 Bn Annual [3]

• Life Science suppliers only spend 20% of their marketing budget on digital advertising versus 60% for other industries. [4]

Business model

For Scientists: Everything is free

• Free to do research
• Free to join & create a profile
• Free to publish methods & protocols
• Free to ask troubleshooting questions

For Materials, Equipment & Service Providers:

Advertising

• Pay per impressions, views, clicks
• Sliding scale based on keyword demand
• Use google ad words as a comp

Sponsored Tags - subscription based

• Sliding scale of subscription pricing based on company size, number of seats needed, number of tags needed
• Use StackOverflow as a comp

Competition