Bill Gates has put in a lot of time and effort to help eradicate some of the world’s most-deadly diseases, so it’s not surprising to find out that he just led a $35 million investment in a research network that helps scientists connect with one another more efficiently.
Berlin-based ResearchGate announced the round today, as the fresh funding will be used to help researchers share and search for scientific data online.
ResearchGate was founded in 2008 by physicians Dr. Ijad Madisch, Dr. Soren Hofmayer and computer scientist Horst Fickenscher. More than 2.9 million researchers have already used the network to make their findings more public and to collaborate with fellow colleagues around the globe.
“We’re thrilled with this latest round of investment, and particularly that Bill Gates is now among our esteemed investors,” the company wrote in a blog post. “His aim is to eradicate diseases such as malaria and polio. This cannot be done without major scientific advancements and making knowledge accessible for all. These goals are perfectly in line with ours.”
The Series C round included investments from Dragoneer Investment Group, Thrive Capital, and ResearchGate’s existing investors, Benchmark and Founders Fund.
Reuters reported that Gates’ contribution was not tied to The Bill and Melinda Foundation, which has already done incredible amounts of work in the global health realm.
Previously on GeekWire: Bill Gates: U.S. leaders should be more data-driven
