Foundations are a possible answer. In the last year we've seen foundations give grants to a number of tech groups and/or platforms. iPython via Sloan and Code for America via Knight for example.

There are many areas where venture capital has not and is not well suited for various reasons, many of which you list. I think people's focus on consumer funding won't work because crowdfunding is even more driven by the allure of consumer facing products than VCs are. Foundations seem to me to be a good place for this.