Benji Leibowitz

Tarun Chitra, CEO of Gauntlet, and Benji Leibowitz, founder of Pump.Science, dive deep into the heated debate on decentralized science. They discuss whether many DeSci projects are essentially just ICOs in disguise. Chitra criticizes the lack of accountability in these initiatives, while Leibowitz presents live demos showcasing genuine scientific research. Their conversation highlights the tension between blockchain’s promise of innovation and the realities of scientific funding, accountability, and peer review, ultimately questioning if DeSci can genuinely transform scientific research.

Benji Leibowitz, COO at Molecule and co-founder of pump.science, is revolutionizing the Decentralized Science (DeSci) movement by leveraging blockchain to democratize research funding. He discusses how traditional funding models are failing, especially amid NIH cuts, and highlights the potential of IP tokens and crypto to foster independent research. The conversation also reveals how DeSci enhances transparency and engagement in scientific discovery, and introduces innovative funding mechanisms that invite broader community participation.