Post on 29-Jan-2018
transcript
One entrepreneurial stepto the oceans
Dan DascalescuCTO, BlueseedEntrepreneurship advisor,
2015-Oct-24Oceanus AquaConference
Seasteading concept “Artisanopolis” by Roark 3D
Dream big, but be realistic - size
Dream big, but be realistic - laws
Feasible - incremental
Likeable (not just legal)
Profitable
“The adjacent possible”
Big, disruptive new ideas must be…
Start with solving ONElegal problem
(but that’s just the beginning)
“There simply are no U.S. visas available for entrepreneurs”
PROBLEM #1
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLCYfhZEFb8#t=3m15s
-- American Immigration Lawyers Association,March 2012
Visa typeCan
work?Can self-employ?
Expires Restrictions
B1/B2 Business,Tourist or Waiver
✗ ✗<6 mo/yr
in U.S.Can’t earn income
But can travel!
E-2Treaty Investor,or Employee of
✓ ✓2+2+2…
yrs
Not for India, Brazil, Russia, China“substantial” investment (~$100K)
must own 50%+ of the businesscan’t convert to Green Card
EB-5 Investor ✓ ✓ NeverMust invest $1M+ and create 10
jobs
H1-BSkilled worker
✓ ✗ 3+3 yrsIf laid off, must find new sponsor ASAP – there is no grace period
L-1Intra-company
Transfer✓ ✗ 3 yrs
Must have worked at foreignbranch for 1+ years
Existing alternatives are inadequate
Entrepreneurs are kicked out of U.S.
Image credit: siliconvalley.com
International waters line
Ship located 12 miles offshore,in international waters,
outside US jurisdiction – Bahamas flag
1
Convert a used cruise shipto a live/work/play space for 1000
2
30 minutes to shore 20 minutes to Palo Alto
Convenient travel both waysby ferry, helicopter
3
Use B1/B2 business/tourist visato travel to mainland & stay <180 days
,0
500,000
1000,000
1500,000
2000,000
2500,000
3000,000
3500,000
4000,000
H-1B (skilledworker)
L-1 (intracompanytransfer)
B1/B2(business/tourism)
Average # of U.S. visas granted per year, 2006-2011
Source: http://www.travel.state.gov/xls/FYs97-11_NIVDetailTable.xls
4
Business/Tourist Visa:• can travel to US, 180 days/yr• can attend meetings, events
Bahamas flagged ship:• can earn income, start companies• streamlined regulatory environment
Work on the ship, in international watersTravel to the US using business/tourist
visas, which are easier to obtain
High-tech university
dorm
24/7 hackathon &
coworking space
Awesome startup-and technology-oriented space
The “Googleplex of the Sea”
Blueseed: The innovators’ gatewayinto Silicon Valley
Early-stagestartups
$uccessful$caling
$tartups
The Blueseed team, 2011met at The Seasteading Institute
Max MartyCEO
Dario MutabdzijaPresident
Dan DascalescuCIO
Startups that expressed interestLatest stats at blueseed.com/come-aboard/results
1500+ entrepreneurs
540+ startups
72 countries
United States23%
India 10%
Canada 4%
Australia 4%
Russia 2%Italy 2%UK 6%Spain 3%Brazil 3%
France 3%
Germany 2%
China 2%
Singapore 2%
Other 34%
Mike Maples Jr. / Floodgate
Raised $0.5M
+ 4 Bitcoin investors+ other angels
Profitable –Revenue and business model
• 300+ startups, ~6.5% avg. equity stake in each
• The next Instagram that we host =
Equity position in startups
• Residential – avg. $1600/p/mo
• Commercial
• Event space, hotel roomsRent
• Food
• Tours
• Media (TV, advertising) and sponsorships
Other revenue streams
Maritime law (UNCLOS protects us)
Immigration law (former USCIS director is our advisor)
Ocean conditions and ship stability
Open-ocean docking and personnel transfer
Transportation options (ferries, helicopters)
Ship space re-allocation
Internet connectivity
A LOT more. Check out blueseed.com/faq
Feasible –We’ve researched:
BlueseedLos Angeles
BlueseedEast Coast
Near futureUS ships
Concept ship – Terraces
Concept ship – Artful Containers
Concept ship – Hive
Blueseed Atoll concept – stabilization barges and floating breakwaters
Long term vision
Concept ship – Modern Hull
When do we launch?
Address the deal breakers first!
Approach Coast Guard from the get go
Determine environmental stakeholders
Identify logistical challenges
Challenges
Logistical
Funding & operating costs
Political
Public image
Logistical
Ocean conditions
Ship finding & converting
Resupplying
Personnel transfer at sea
Waste management
Mavericks, Half Moon Bay, California
Wave research
Ship > 500 ft. long
MS Island Escape190m / 623ft long27m / 88ft wide1540 passengers max.
Use a Catamaran/SWATH ship
Example: China Star131 meters / 430ft long32 meters wide354 passengers
MVP
Build: $200M
Buy used: $50M
Charter: $27M
Extensive analysis of the
Island Escapeship
Resupplying at sea is hard
Dock in SF every 2 weeks instead
Passenger transfer at sea
Monterey Bay NationalMarine
Sanctuary
“clean graywater only”-- Sanctuary Regulations,Title 15, Part 922, section 922.132
Self-Sufficient Ocean Platforms
Professor Peter J. Schubert, Ph.D., P.E.
Director, Richard G. Lugar Center for Renewable Energy
46
MSW Gasifier/Oxidizer PilotOperational now – subject of MS thesis
Handles all municipal solid waste
No sorting, no size-reduction
NOT an incinerator – cleaner!
Containerized for easy delivery
Scalable and modular
Produces heat for water, sanitation
Can also produce electric power
“Old Blue” 47
Funding - how to raise $31M
Investors in startup
accelerators
Investors in ship
businesses?
Silicon Valley VCs: “Ships not in our mandate”
Investor categories
Angel investors – amounts too low
Angel Groups – Gust, CapLinked: didn’t help
VCs – “ships not in our mandate”
Institutional investors (LPs) – we compete with VCs
Crazy-bold investors except Peter Thiel?
Political
Laws
Immigration
Coast Guard
DHS
Environmental agencies
What laws apply on board?
• Bahamas (English common law)The laws of the flag
state
• Fair, efficient, speedy, predictableInternational
commercial arbitration
• To country of residence/incorporation
• No taxes paid to BlueseedTaxes
• International patents (WIPO)
• United States patents (USPTO)Patents – as usual
Ask your customers & pivot PR
Problems leading with the “visa” story
“Train Americans instead!”
“These foreigners will steal American jobs!”
What if some Startup Visa Act passes?
Visa story is vulnerable
Top motivation for Blueseed – unassailable
“Living and working in an awesome startup- and technology- oriented space”
it’s Y Combinator
Combine that with…
Startups
Talent pool
Startup*community*
Don’t position as an accelerator
“The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”
-- Steve Jobs, 1955-2011
How do we move forward?
www.blueseed.comdan@blueseed.com
FAQ – blueseed.com/faq
• Not a problem: large vessel (623ft x 88ft)
• Meclizine - inexpensive preventative medicationSeasickness
• Tsunamis/earthquakes doesn’t affect ships at sea
• Hurricanes don’t exist near California
Tsunamis,Hurricanes
• Happen rarely; affect large vessels less
• In case of “force majeure”, we can come to shoreStorms
• We’re the only ones in the region :)Pirates :)
Cost of living aboard Blueseed (preliminary estimates; Blueseed doesn’t impose tax)
From $1200/person/month(shared room for 4)
Up to $3000/person/month(private room with ocean view)
Cost includes office space
Wireless 1Gbps+ link to shore
Liquid Robotics ocean drone relays mesh network
O3b satellite backup,130ms round-trip, 500Mbps
Future: fiber-optic cable
High-speed Internet access