Catalyzing network investment in and adoption of open infrastructure for research

Digital research infrastructure—the shared platforms and services that let scientists share data, code, and publications—is chronically underfunded and fragmented, with no reliable way for networks of institutions to collectively invest in and maintain it. Invest in Open Infrastructure (IOI) is piloting a new funding model called the IOI Fund for Network Adoption. Instead of traditional one-off grants, the Fund provides dynamic, flexible capital and strategic support to help research networks implement, upgrade, and scale their use of shared digital infrastructure. The goal is to move beyond project-by-project funding toward a sustainable, community-owned system. The pilot will test this approach across three regional use cases: Latin America, Africa, and North America. If successful, this model could transform how open research infrastructure is financed and governed. Rather than relying on short-term grants from a single funder, networks of universities, libraries, and research organisations could pool resources and make ongoing investments in the tools they depend on—reducing duplication, lowering costs, and enabling more equitable access to data and content at scale. Wellcome Trust’s funding is intended to catalyse additional contributions from other philanthropies, research funders, commercial providers, and governments.