PLAY THE GAME

INVESTING IN ALGORITHMS

The Innovation Game (TIG) is a disruptive economic protocol that offers a novel approach to valuing and remunerating the development of computational methods. TIG introduces a synthetic market in which market participants are incentivised to adopt the most efficient algorithms, providing an objective measure with which to price contributions made by innovators. In doing so, TIG opens up an investable market for algorithms.

Historically, algorithmic progress has been sporadic and unpredictable, therefore riskier and less attractive for investment compared to hardware innovation. TIG addresses this problem by curating a diverse range of scientific challenges and incentivising equal effort across domains. This approach bundles algorithmic advancements into a diversified portfolio, resulting in more predictable and continuous progress in aggregate.

By leveraging tokenisation and a unique licensing framework, TIG captures and monetises the value of the intellectual property (IP) generated by its participants. The TIG token as an asset is backed by the totality of the IP in the game – the totality of algorithmic innovation. For the first time, investment in the broad asset class of algorithms will be possible.

TIG’s tokenisation model also democratises access to algorithmic innovation, allowing a wider range of participation in the growth of this asset class. By lowering the barriers to entry and providing a transparent and efficient market for algorithmic innovation, TIG is poised to attract a diverse community of academics, commercial researchers, and developers.

MARKET FRAMEWORK

By creating a synthetic market for computational methods, TIG enables anyone to participate in the growth and success of cutting-edge algorithms. The market framework assigns value to these intangible assets based on their adoption. This market-driven approach ensures that the most efficient methods rise to the top. The protocol creates a more meritocratic system for allocating resources and determining value, where the success of an innovator is determined by the quality of their work rather than their institutional affiliation or personal connections.

In this synthetic market, Benchmarkers are introduced to play a role analogous to that of Bitcoin miners. Just as Bitcoin miners compete to solve complex mathematical problems to validate transactions and earn rewards, Benchmarkers in TIG compete to solve computational challenges using the algorithms provided by Innovators. By doing so, they help validate the performance and determine the value of the algorithms, and earn TIG tokens as a reward for their efforts. This creates a powerful incentive for Benchmarkers to participate in the ecosystem and helps ensure that the most effective and efficient algorithms are identified and their creators rewarded.

VALUE CAPTURE AND LICENSING

TIG employs a unique approach to capture value by securing intellectual property rights for the methods submitted by innovators and creating incentives for third parties to license them. The TIG Foundation, which manages the IP generated within the ecosystem, offers two types of licenses to cater to different use cases and ensure a balance between open collaboration and commercial viability.

The first type of license is the TIG Open Data License, which allows free use of the IP in exchange for sharing data and code. This license is designed to promote open collaboration, transparency, and the rapid advancement of algorithmic innovation. By encouraging the sharing of resources and knowledge, the Open Data License fosters a vibrant community of researchers, developers, and scientists who can build upon each other’s work and accelerate the pace of discovery.

The second type of license is the TIG Commercial License, which permits the use of IP without the requirement to share data or code in exchange for a fee payable in TIG tokens. This license is tailored for organizations and individuals who wish to leverage the cutting-edge algorithms developed within TIG for commercial purposes while keeping their own data and code proprietary. The Commercial License provides a means for TIG to generate revenue, which is then reinvested into the ecosystem to incentivise further innovation and reward contributors.

The combination of these two licensing models creates a unique hybrid approach that ensures the value generated by algorithmic innovations is captured and reinvested into the protocol while providing flexibility for different use cases and business models. This approach also enables TIG to strike a balance between the principles of open science and the need for financial sustainability.

By offering the Open Data License, TIG encourages the widespread adoption of the algorithms developed within its ecosystem, leading to increased visibility and impact for the innovators. As more researchers and developers build upon and refine these algorithms, the overall value of the IP held by the TIG Foundation grows, benefiting all stakeholders in the ecosystem.

At the same time, the Commercial License allows TIG to tap into the growing demand for advanced algorithmic solutions across various industries. As businesses recognise the potential of these cutting-edge algorithms to drive innovation and efficiency, they are incentivised to obtain the Commercial License, creating a steady stream of revenue for the TIG ecosystem.

The revenue generated through the Commercial License is reinvested into the protocol providing continual rewards for Innovators and Benchmarkers. This virtuous cycle ensures the long-term sustainability and growth of the TIG ecosystem while maintaining its commitment to open collaboration and the democratisation of algorithmic innovation.

OPEN COLLABORATION

Open collaboration is a core principle of The Innovation Game. TIG attracts a diverse community of Innovators, Benchmarkers, and researchers who work together to push the boundaries of computational science. The platform encourages the sharing of knowledge, data, and code through its Open Data License, enabling participants to build upon each other’s work and accelerate the pace of innovation.

By promoting open collaboration, TIG aims to create a self-reinforcing cycle of innovation and value creation, where the collective efforts of the community drive the development of powerful and impactful algorithmic solutions. This collaborative approach not only accelerates the pace of discovery but also enhances the value of the IP generated within the ecosystem, which will lead to increased bounties for innovation, kickstarting a virtuous flywheel that further incentivises and accelerates discovery.

The general problem of incentivising open source contributions has been recognised since the beginning of the open source movement. Eric Raymond, in his essay “The Magic Cauldron,” emphasised the need for pricing contributions in open code projects to ensure their economic viability. The Innovation Game solves this problem in the large class of computational methods by creating a synthetic market that assigns value to algorithmic contributions, ensuring fair remuneration for innovators, all while fostering a sustainable environment for open collaboration.

SCIENCE FUNDING SCIENCE

The Innovation Game aligns with the principles of the Decentralized Science (DeSci) movement and the concept of “Science Funding Science.” DeSci advocates for the democratization of scientific research and the empowerment of individual researchers and communities. TIG embodies these values by providing a decentralized platform where anyone can contribute, collaborate, and benefit from algorithmic innovations.

The token-based rewards system enables a new funding model for scientific research, where the value generated by the algorithms is directly captured and reinvested into the ecosystem. This self-sustaining approach ensures that the funding for scientific research is generated by the research itself, creating a virtuous cycle of innovation. By participating in TIG, researchers and scientists can secure funding for their work based on its merit and impact, bypassing traditional grant-based funding models and aligning incentives with the value they create.

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