What do you do if you’re not happy with your country? Start your own!
Peter Thiel, one of the billionaire founders of PayPal, has helped to fund Blueseed, a floating city in international waters, 12 miles off San Francisco. The community will be home to high tech start-ups where every citizen need not pay tax, needs no work visa, and can run a global business from the high seas - while connecting to the brains and connections of Silicon Valley. The ship, effectively, is under the rules of no nation, and can set its own rules of how everyone lives, works, plays and pays.
This has been 4 years in the making. In 2008, Peter invested $500,000 in the Seasteading Institute, to begin paving the way for floating sovereign nations in international waters. The Institute, set up by Patrick Friedman (the son of famous economist Milton Friedman) has set the mission of enabling “the next generation of pioneers to peacefully test new ideas for government. The most successful can then inspire change in governments around the world.”
WHY SET UP A NEW COUNTRY?
What’s Peter’s motivation for helping to fund a new nation? As he says, “The reason the seasteading question's been so interesting is that a lot of people do think that we can do much better as a society. And if you run the thought experiment, could we be doing things better in our society, people may disagree on the particulars, but an awful lot of people think things can be done dramatically better.”
He also compares rethinking nations to rethinking business: “The reason people start new companies is because there's a need to have a certain amount of freedom to explore doing new things. That's why you'd start a new business. There's a question: If you can start a new business, why can you not start a new country?”
WHEN DOES THE FIRST ONE START?
The Seasteading Institute has gone as far as setting up the “Poseidon Award” for the first “independent seasteading community–the seed for the world’s first ocean city-state” with the goal of awarding it by 2015. It looks like they will reach their goal...
Blueseed announced that over 1100 entrepreneurs have already registered their interest to be the first residents of the Blueseed floating community. Blueseed was started by Max Marty, the previous Director of Strategy at the Seasteading Institute, who knew a good idea when he saw one. He left the institute to get the first floating community started. Target date for launch? The end of 2013!
How it will look like? Many designs and concepts already have been made. Just have a look at the inspiring overview with concept vessels on the Blueseed website.
The attraction? For startups with a global online business, the work visas and hoops to jump through to live and work in the US simply don’t make sense anymore. Being in International waters, they can set their own rules, have companies registered in any country, including tax-free countries, and run their businesses from day one as truly international businesses (while still having physical access to the networks of Silicon Valley with boats and helicopters connecting with the US mainland daily).
Main facts about Blueseed:
- Who is this for? – The world’s best entrepreneurs and visionaries! The boldest, brightest, and most talented tech entrepreneurs from around the world. Plus the individuals and organizations that support and invest in them.
- Where will it be? – Right near Silicon Valley. On a ship anchored half an hour (12 miles/30 min. by boat) from Silicon Valley, in international waters outside the jurisdiction of the United States.
- What does it cost? – Around $1,600 USD/person/month. They’ll charge a combination of rent and equity to accommodate the stage of your startup. The price per person will include living and office space, and will range from $1200 for a shared cabin to $3000 for a top-tier single accommodation cabin.
- Why should it be done? – Because innovation is awesome! The world’s best entrepreneurs should be able to gather and collaborate in one place, and not be limited by antiquated work visa restrictions.
- How can I get aboard? – Do something that matters, and be awesome. Get referred to Blueseed through a reputable angel, venture capital firm, entrepreneurs network, or trusted contact.
- Can I legally work? – On Blueseed, yes. You can legally earn an income working on your startup while on the Blueseed vessel regardless of your nationality, but you can’t legally earn a paycheck while visiting the mainland, unless you have a US work visa or are a US permanent resident.
- Can I travel to the mainland? – Yes. You can travel to the mainland using business/tourist visas (B1/B2), for up to 180 days/year (these are significantly easier to obtain than work-visas). US residents can travel to Blueseed at any time.
- What happens when I succeed and outgrow Blueseed? – They will help you move to the mainland. Silicon Valley is the best place in the world to scale a tech company, and once you’re large enough there are legal channels available to move into Silicon Valley proper. Blueseed will provide you with the resources and contacts you need to make the transition.
WHAT WOULD YOU CREATE, IF YOU COULD START YOUR OWN NATION?
What would you create if you could create the ideal community with its own rules? If, like Max, you went out to gather registrations, how many would be attracted into your world?
With seasteading, the question is no longer a theoretical one. The intent of the advocates of these new nations is to 'give people the freedom to choose the government they want instead of being stuck with the government they get'.
Interested in being a pioneer citizen on Blueseed? Go ahead! Just go to the Blueseed site and register your interest. If you think you can do better, well its a big sea out there!
WHAT’S STOPPING YOU TODAY?
If starting your own kingdom or living in a new utopia are not exactly top of your to-do list right now, here’s a final thought:
If, while many people are blaming their governments or local economies for their woes, a small group of entrepreneurs can come up with a plan as bold and audacious as this, where the problems of government simply go away... What apparent obstacle are you currently facing in your business which, with a simple shift in solution, will make your obstacles simply disappear?
It brings a whole new meaning to blue ocean strategy...
BRIGHT FUTURE FOR BLUESEED
To date 1100 people from 336 companies and from 64 different countries have now applied to join Blueseed and it has just raised more funding...
We're pretty sure that the 'Blueseed entrepreneurship without borders vessel' will become reality soon, thus enabling many startups to successfully do what they aim to do: to make this world a better place for everyone!
For more info and inspiration, please see: http://blueseed.co
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