I wanted to let you know that a new company called 1715 Labs has been set up to make commercial use of the software created by the Zooniverse team. Specifically, the company will explore how other businesses might make use of our tools in order to classify and label images, text, audio and video.

We’ve been approached over the years by a number of companies with such projects in mind, but the Zooniverse policy has always been to accept only projects whose aim is academic research. (See our policy statement at https://www.zooniverse.org/help/lab-policies).

This is not changing. This policy will remain the same for Zooniverse projects, so you can be sure that any project you see at Zooniverse.org will continue to have as its goal the advancement of academic research. Projects developed by 1715 Labs will not appear at Zooniverse.org.

It’s also important that you, the volunteers, know that the Zooniverse will not be handing the new company any of your data or personal information. Indeed, according to the Zooniverse privacy policy we will not be able to. Instead, the company will use the same software as the Zooniverse to reach other crowds who can take part in any projects it creates.

The team who have been working on the Zooniverse will continue to do so, just as they always have. However, the possibility exists that some team members – including myself – may serve as paid consultants for 1715 Labs as the new company gets off the ground. This work will be managed separately from work for us in the Zooniverse.

1715 Labs is formally a spin-out company of the University of Oxford, where a large part of the Zooniverse team have been based from the beginning. It is currently led by Sophie Hackford (We’re currently recruiting a long-term CEO – if you’re interested, send me a CV). Normally, the researchers involved in leading such a spin-out would receive equity in the new company, and benefit financially from it.

However, in this case, we have given up any such rights, passing the shares instead to another new organisation, the 1715 Association. This means – unusually for a spin out company – no-one involved in Zooniverse owns shares or has a financial stake in the new company. (As noted above, some of the team may end up working for 1715 labs as consultants).

The 1715 Association is what’s known as a company limited by guarantee. If it receives money as a result of its ownership of shares in 1715 Labs, it must use it in accordance with its objects. The objects of the 1715 Association are to benefit citizen science research, especially through the Zooniverse. Should the company do well, therefore, the result will be additional funding for our work here at Zooniverse.org and the chance to build new, better, more interesting projects.

This is good news – we want the excellent software our developers have created to be used, and if it can benefit our research, then so much the better. Hopefully, businesses with data that needs labelling will be inspired by this link to the Zooniverse to work with 1715 Labs.

I’m looking forward to seeing what happens with this new venture. In the meantime, I’m happy to answer any questions in the comments below or over on Talk.

Chris Lintott, PI for Zooniverse