Academist

Academist, Inc. operates as a specialized crowdfunding platform focused on the academic research sector in Japan. The company was founded on April 17, 2013, by CEO Ryosuke Shibato. Shibato's journey began during his time as a graduate student when he organized academic exchange events; realizing the limitations of offline events, he was motivated to create a broader platform to showcase the appeal of research and invigorate the academic world as a whole. The "academist" crowdfunding site was officially launched in April 2014, becoming Japan's first platform dedicated to academic research.

The core of Academist's business is its reward-based crowdfunding service that connects researchers, referred to as "Challengers," with individual and corporate supporters. Researchers from diverse fields, including those in niche or early '0 to 1' phases that struggle to secure conventional public funding, can propose projects to a wide audience. The platform primarily uses an "All-or-Nothing" model, where funds are only released if the project's target amount is met within a specified period, although an "All-In" model is also available for certain formats like the Fanclub. For successful project-based campaigns, Academist charges a commission of 17% of the total funds raised, in addition to a 3% payment processing fee. This model has proven effective, with the platform reporting a project success rate of over 87%.

Beyond individual projects, Academist has expanded its offerings to foster a more sustainable research ecosystem. The "academist Fanclub" allows for continuous, monthly support from fans who receive regular updates on research progress. Furthermore, the "academist Grant" program facilitates direct connections between corporate sponsors and researchers, either through matched funding for successful crowdfunding campaigns or by sourcing academics to solve specific corporate challenges. This service extends to providing research and consulting for businesses, including major IT companies and manufacturers. The company also offers partnership programs for universities and research institutions, providing seminars, operational know-how, and strategic promotion to help them leverage crowdfunding and strengthen social collaboration.

Keywords: academic crowdfunding, research funding, science funding, Japan, researcher support, Ryosuke Shibato, crowdfunding platform, open academia, research grants, corporate-academic partnership, university collaboration, research communication, science communication, project funding, monthly support, fanclub for researchers, All-or-Nothing crowdfunding, research promotion, academic projects, scientific research, humanities research, social sciences research, corporate sponsorship