The i3 BigQuery Workspace: Shared Infrastructure for Open Science

Large-scale open datasets have transformed empirical research on science and innovation, but their effective use remains constrained by persistent challenges, including computational barriers, provider dependence, reproducibility difficulties, limited transparency, and unequal access to research infrastructure. We describe the i3 BigQuery Workspace, a shared cloud-based platform that hosts curated datasets (including OpenAlex, PatentsView, and community-contributed resources like Reliance on Science) and allows researchers to query terabyte-scale data in seconds within a unified analytical environment. By combining execution-ready data, scalable computation, and transparent versioning, the workspace lowers fixed costs to entry and supports reproducible research. We document examples of research enabled by this infrastructure and discuss how community-owned data platforms can improve research efficiency and expand the set of feasible research questions in the economics of science and innovation.