What makes it worth to support research?

[troelsfr]

I am considering raising money for doing another two years of research as a post. doc. The thing about research is that it "only" produces knowledge but often no product (i.e. nothing to give back except for words). I don't like this and therefore I would like your opinion: What would make you help crowd fund a research project with your hard earned bitcoins? A signed t-shirt? Acknowledgements in an article? A private lecture? There are no stupid ideas - fire away