Rec. 33: Sustainable business models

[sjDCC]

Data repositories and other components of the FAIR data ecosystem should be supported to explore business models for sustainability, to articulate their value proposition, and to trial a range of charging models and income streams.

• Examples of different business models should be shared, and data services given time and support to trial approaches to test the most viable sustainability paths.
  Stakeholders: Funders; Data services; Global coordination bodies.

[ChiaraGabella]

SIB position: Long term sustainability is a point of concern for data resources in any discipline. There is currently a lot of discussion about this issue and initiatives are taken on an international level. It is important to take into account not only the specificities of repositories but also of curated databases. At SIB we have conducted an analysis of various different funding models for databases in order to find the ideal funding model, by comparing pros and cons of each model, for example, in terms of open access,
equity between users, the potential to generate sufficient income, or the stability of income over time.
We have selected what we have called the “Infrastructure model” as a sustainable funding scheme that
can be applied to other core data resources in the life sciences. Roughly, in this model, funding agencies would set aside a fixed percentage of their research grants. The amount would subsequently be re-distributed to core data resources according to well-defined selection criteria. More details at https://f1000research.com/articles/6-2051/v2

[hollydawnmurray]

F1000 position: In the interest of making this action plan more manageable, this recommendation could be incorporated into Rec 5 – or at least positioned more closely to that recommendation.

[katerbow]

DFG position: Comments on Recommendation 32 are valid for this recommendation too.

[Drosophilic]

I'm completely for exploring sustainable business models for infrastructure resources, but I don't see how this relates to their FAIRness. I'm therefore not sure this should be a recommendation on its own.

[ferag]

Example of data exploitation economic impact (copernicus):

http://www.copernicus.eu/sites/default/files/library/Copernicus_SocioEconomic_Impact_October_2016.pdf

[pkdoorn]

Combine with Rec. #5 : Sustainable funding for FAIR components #5 and Rec. #32 : Costing data management #32.

[bertocco]

INAF (astronomy) position:
try to group funding/incentives/sustainability in a smaller number of RECs

[aidaturrini]

A consideration as a non-expert in business models. Private and public users have access. Why a quota of taxes they annually pay (subjects having an income only, while students or other categories should have a free license) can be devoted when accessing the data? A "fair" and smooth financial support. Is it feasible?

[gtoneill]

Some overlap with Recommendations 5, 6, and 32 on costing and funding FAIR. Perhaps merge?