Digital Sovereignty: ZB MED Launches Fundraising for PubMed Alternative

ZB MED, a German information provider for medicine and life sciences, is initiating a fundraising campaign for OLSPub, its ambitious open-access platform intended to serve as a European alternative to the US-dominated PubMed. This move underscores a growing European imperative to secure independent infrastructure for research data, a critical component of digital sovereignty in the scientific domain. The project aims to provide researchers with a robust and accessible repository for scholarly publications, fostering greater autonomy in data management and dissemination within the EU. OLSPub is designed to offer comprehensive search functionalities and hosting capabilities for scientific literature, directly competing with established international services. While the exact technical specifications and user interface details are still under development, the core objective is to provide a secure, transparent, and community-driven environment for academic content. The success of this endeavor hinges on securing sufficient funding to develop and maintain the platform, ensuring its long-term viability and competitive edge. The implications of OLSPub extend beyond mere platform development; it represents a tangible step towards reducing Europe's reliance on non-EU digital services for vital research infrastructure. By fostering its own independent data repositories, Europe can better control access, ensure data privacy in line with its regulatory frameworks like GDPR, and promote a more equitable distribution of scientific knowledge. This initiative aligns with broader EU policies aimed at bolstering digital autonomy and creating a more resilient European digital ecosystem.