4.1.3. Participatory Budgeting Platform for Research and Innovation

We propose a digital platform for participatory budgeting on a transnational level. This platform will be a 21st century institution that democratises the funding of research and innovation within the EU, giving citizens and civil society a stronger say.

Democratise Funding: Citizen Crowdfunding

The platform needs to contain a crowd funding system that allows European citizens to allocate public money, e.g. from the EU’s “Horizon Europe”, through their decisions on the platform. The projects apply with their proposals and a sum of money that would allow them to start the work. As in crowdfunding, if enough citizens allocate public money to a proposed project it is successful and gets money from the fund. A significant proportion of public funds for research and innovation needs to be put into this platform to give citizens a voice.

Democratise Agenda Setting: Citizens’ Needs Crowdsourcing

Innovation starts with problems that should be solved. Who defines the problems is a major issue in every innovation journey. In a democratic society, citizens should define the problems that innovations should help to solve. Therefore, the platform should also enable citizens to identify problems to be addressed through research and innovation. Problems would be freely submitted, then democratically ranked on the platform. Researchers and innovators can then apply with proposals targeting specific problems. In this way,   purposes for innovation can be democratically defined by citizens rather than steered by unaccountable private interests.