Scaling and automation of biological, medical, and biomedical research. There are huge tracks of research areas which essentially are technologically backwards.

Scaling and automation of biological, medical, and biomedical research. There are huge tracks of research areas which essentially are technologically backwards. From poor usage of statistics (see all the the replication issues in cancer research, psychology, and etc) to the lack of high quality programming tools to efficiently solve problems. More startups building cheap, applicable, and open-specification hardware with open source software could be a huge boon. The hardware and equipment situation of many scientific labs is stuck in the 90's at best and often based on equipment developed in the 50's and 60's. Having just finished a master's in material science in applied bio-mechanical research I am personally aware of the lack of basic equipment and tools. Machine learning techniques for example could be applied to many areas of experimental research in biological settings but most labs do not have the time, money, or expertise to apply it. Another possible option would be a sort of "professional software development co-op" for scientific research. Being able to buy (subsidized) development resources might be incredibly helpful. The cost could possibly be offset by forming partnerships to commercialize valuable research, similar to a YC model where the few successes could fund the other. The system for basic scientific research also seems broken. Much of the data used in many fields (especially nuclear research) is based on (very excellent) research from the 50's. We're essentially riding on accrued capital which will likely reach a limiting point in the coming decades.