TLDR: The Sei Foundation has introduced Sapien Capital – Open Science Fund I, a $65 million venture fund aimed at supporting decentralized science (DeSci) startups utilizing the Sei Layer 1 blockchain. The fund focuses on projects like blockchain-integrated health wearables, user-owned data collectives, and gamified drug discovery.

Unlike traditional research institutions where funding is controlled by centralized entities, DeSci leverages blockchain technology to create transparent, decentralized funding models for scientific research. The sector has gained momentum as a way to democratize access to research funding, promote open data sharing, and ensure fair compensation for scientists.

Sei Foundation’s fund will exclusively back DeSci startups building on Sei, with investment sizes ranging from $100,000 to $2 million. Unlike ecosystem funds that offer grants, Sapien Capital will make direct venture investments in both tokens and equity of DeSci projects.

According to Justin Barlow, head of business development and investments at Sei Foundation, the foundation has fully committed the $65 million without external capital, but may work with outside investors in the future.

What Sei’s Fund Will Focus On

Barlow outlined the fund’s primary areas of interest, which include:

• Advanced wearables that integrate blockchain-powered health tracking.
• User-owned data collectives, enabling individuals to control and monetize their scientific and health data.
• Gamified drug discovery that applies decentralized mechanisms to accelerate pharmaceutical research.

“DeSci has the potential to scale massively due to its universal impact across healthcare, science, and biotech,” Barlow said. “We want to empower visionary founders building the infrastructure, applications, and communities needed to support and scale this emerging sector.”

Growing Interest in DeSci

While DeSci has been an emerging trend since 2021, interest in the sector has surged in recent months. Last November, Binance Labs—now rebranded as YZi Labs—invested in BIO Protocol, one of the largest DeSci projects to date, currently holding a market capitalization of over $370 million. Similarly, in September, a16z backed the decentralized biobank platform AminoChain in its first-ever DeSci investment.

Sei’s move into DeSci underscores its commitment to expanding blockchain applications beyond finance, with an eye toward scientific research, healthcare, and biotech. With $65 million ready to deploy over the next 3-4 years, Sei’s Sapien Capital fund aims to bridge the gap between niche scientific communities and mainstream adoption.

As blockchain technology continues to evolve, DeSci could reshape how scientific research is funded and conducted, bringing greater transparency, efficiency, and accessibility to life sciences.

HIDDEN INSIGHT

Empowering Individual Data Ownership: By promoting user-owned data collectives, the fund addresses increasing concerns over data privacy and monetization, enabling individuals to have greater control and benefit from their personal scientific and health data.