Ask HN: Any interest in project PhD$$ – monetise your PhD? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Any interest in project PhD$$$ – monetise your PhD?

2 pointsDrNuke5 comments

Hi all, I am now working at PhD$$$ www.phdsss.com , a new internet project aimed at helping people monetise their PhD through a dedicated job board, tailored news, data science findings and hopefully a community. In these populist times, it may be useful to reassert the value of peer reviewed knowledge and methods against gut feelings and unchecked opinions, that’s why I think this project can stick around long enough to become profitable. I can go bootstrapped & solo for a lifestyle business or with seed money & co-founders for a startup attempt: any interested party out there? Thanks.

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After reading the description and seeing that the website is down for maintenance I don't really get your model. Having a successful PhD is hard, building that into a successful business at the same time while working within the university constraints upon the PhD process is even harder. I don't see from a practical standpoint how the elements you mention would generalize well to being able to 'monetize your PhD'.

Hi, many thanks for your words and the question. Testing waters with the concept right now. On one bright side, this project would like to help every PhD thesis become its own business or career for the author; on the other side, it would like to assist the authors to get however the most out of their theses and the skills they gained as postgrads. How? I have filled a business model canvas and will throw some tests up against the wall in the coming months, hoping something sticks.

> this project would like to help every PhD thesis become its own business or career

That strikes me as disingenuous. Each PhD should make a mark on the field expanding upon the prior wealth of knowledge. That doesn't make each one suitable for a business opportunity, nor does the exact topic matter directly create a career (though the skills gained within the process should help greatly). I would recommend limiting your scope and talking towards particular examples and how the tools you may build could help those particular instances of PhDs.

> and will throw some tests up against the wall in the coming months, hoping something sticks.

I'm confused then. Why are you posting about a particular project and a particular website if you're not going to post anything concrete for months? If you want to test the waters with a concept, you need to present it in enough detail that the pros and cons of a particular idea can be weighed.

Months would be needed to try the hyphoteses from the business model canvas, one at time. And yes, a basic website as a functional box may go public next week but would make little sense before a couple of tests running behind the scenes. Now on Ask HN for a debate and to make this traceable, anyway. I am pretty sure similar projects may show up reading this post and they would be welcome: this is not going to be a one-takes-all kind of venture. Thanks again for your interest.

Update: keeping this project behind the scenes for good, no website, different name. Thanks everybody.

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