O'Shaughnessy Ventures Bets $100K on Science Storytelling Platform — O'Shaughnessy Ventures LLC

Event summary

O'Shaughnessy Ventures awarded a $100,000 fellowship to Jolie Gan to expand The Distressed Scientists' Department (TDSD), a science storytelling platform.
TDSD focuses on the human and cultural aspects of science, including failed experiments and the people behind research, through writing, print, and live exhibitions.
Gan, a former computational neuroscience researcher at MIT, launched TDSD's first volume in November 2025, attracting 350 attendees and sponsorship from Pebblebed and Asimov Press.
The fellowship is part of OSV's 2026 program, which will award up to 20 fellowships total.

The big picture

O'Shaughnessy Ventures' investment in TDSD reflects a broader trend of venture capital flowing into alternative science communication platforms that prioritize narrative and cultural engagement over traditional academic dissemination. The fellowship program underscores OSV's strategy of backing creators who reframe scientific progress through interdisciplinary lenses, potentially reshaping how science is perceived and funded in the public sphere.

What we're watching

Scalability Challenge: Whether TDSD can transition from a niche publication to a sustainable science-culture institution within the next year.
Market Differentiation: How TDSD's focus on the human side of science will compete with traditional science journalism and academic publishing.
Investor Strategy: The extent to which O'Shaughnessy Ventures' bets on creative storytelling platforms will influence the broader investment landscape in media and science communication.