The Capital Equipment Network Platform (CapNetEq)
Contributions
About
About CapNetEq
The Capital Equipment Network (CapNetEq) is a free platform that makes scientific research equipment discoverable and accessible worldwide. We maintain a comprehensive proprietary database of instruments at universities, research institutes, and core facilities across 50+ countries.
The problem
Governments, universities, and industry invest billions in scientific instruments — electron microscopes, NMR spectrometers, flow cytometers, and more — but there's no central way to know what exists, where it's located, or how to access it. Researchers waste weeks searching for equipment that may be sitting idle a few miles away.
Our Solution
CapNetEq provides a single platform where researchers can discover 1,600+ instruments across 300+ facilities worldwide, compare specifications, and connect directly with equipment owners and technical specialists — completely free for academic users.
What Your Support Covers
Running this platform costs real money every month:
- Cloud infrastructure: Firebase, Google Cloud Run, and database hosting
- Map & API services: Mapbox, geocoding, and search APIs
- Data curation: Maintaining and verifying equipment records across 50+ countries
- Development: Building new features, mobile apps (iOS live, Android coming soon)
- Operations: Domain, SSL, email, monitoring, and security
Our Commitment
CapNetEq will always be free for academic researchers. Your contribution helps us keep it that way while expanding our database and building better tools for the global research community.
Every dollar is tracked transparently right here on Open Collective.