Exploring Novel Innovation Strategies to Close a Technology Gap in Neurosurgery: HORAO Crowdsourcing Campaign (Preprint)

Abstract

BACKGROUND With the current exponential increase in technical innovations worldwide, potential solutions for any new problem might already exist, despite having been developed to solve a different problem. We reached out to the crowd to raise awareness of our challenge of developing intraoperative, real-time identification of fiber tracts and tumor borders to improve neurosurgical oncology. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to evaluate the feasibility of crowdsourcing campaigns for raising awareness and finding out-of-the-box solutions for challenges in neuroscience. METHODS We ran a prize-based crowdsourcing competition on the commercial platform HeroX offering prize money previously collected through a crowdfunding campaign. In a multi-stage approach, we selected promising technical solutions based on broad, predefined criteria. RESULTS Our online campaign attracted more than 20,000 views, and we received 45 proposals from 32 individuals and 7 teams. These solvers, who were working in various fields, came from 26 countries on 4 continents. Further exchanges with 3 of the 5 finalists ensued, and a successful scientific collaboration was initiated with the winner of the challenge. CONCLUSIONS Prize-based crowdsourcing campaigns are a promising strategy for raising awareness, finding innovative solutions, and establishing new scientific collaborations in neuroscience. CLINICALTRIAL N/A