I think this is done much better by e.g. Google already today. Academia has have their 50 year run with software research and the end result is quite disappointing.<p>I have been peripherically involved with some recent academic research projects in Europe. The way I see it it&#x27;s basically a way of keeping senior academics occupied and also diverting tax revenues to EU companies for no good reason. It&#x27;s also a breeding ground for corruption - who chooses which companies get these pointless deals?