I believe, this is how scaling works, and exactly the price we pay to afford the top-notch. In any given field, company, pro sport team, there are top 10% labs/groups/players that matters the most. However, to make the 10% emerge, there has to be a pyramid where the rest 90% is responsible for forming a stable infrastructure. Then it comes down to how well we can design the pyramid. Our result should be evaluated not by how thin we cut down the infrastructure, but how easy we make top-players emerge.
On another note, I have seen small no-name labs published impactful scientific results, and then went back to stealth mode again. It's super cool. Science labs, unlike a business entity, should not be measured by recurrent revenue and growth.
On another note, I have seen small no-name labs published impactful scientific results, and then went back to stealth mode again. It's super cool. Science labs, unlike a business entity, should not be measured by recurrent revenue and growth.