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Don't have a visa to work here? I have some office space to rent you in the ocean
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While the immigration debate is focused primarily on low-skilled workers, the tech world is focused on the scientists, engineers, and professionals from other countries who want to start businesses here.
There's no visa for that. To that end, two Silicon Valley entrepreneurs have an unusual idea. Why not set up shop just offshore? Actually offshore. Think, a floating office park in the Pacific Ocean.
Max Marty is the CEO and cofounder of Blueseed, one of the entrepreneurs in question. Like a lot of tech startups, it's an incubator, trading equity in a company for office space and access to investors. Only on a big decommissioned cruise ship, 12 nautical miles from the coast of California. Those are international waters just a ferry ride away from Silicon Valley.
"We are enabling people from all around the world to connect into Silicon Valley," Marty says. "People live and work out there on their startup for about six to nine months. When they are in the right position and those companies gain a little bit of traction, look at moving into Silicon Valley itself."
What does Blueseed get out of playing cruise director? Namely, a 6 percent stake in the companies aboard, and the ability to influence how many foreign entrepreneurs gain access to the American market.
"The real value for us, and really, the real value for the world is in the value that those companies are going to produce as they grow, as they produce new technologies, and they create jobs," says Marty.
Despite the almost tauntingly close proximity to U.S. waters, Blueseed has had a friendly reception from government so far. The actual launch is still a ways off, but investors have pledged over $9 million so far, with one more round of financing to go. If all that money comes through, its ship will set sail in the second fiscal quarter of 2014.
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Good thing somebody posted this article this will help us a lot.However problems are rising between employees and supervisors that both side must avoid.Frequent mistakes of supervisors can affect the mood of workers managers should minimize their negative attitude towards their employees for them to have clear organization they should monitor their personal communications with employees.Here are some of the most frequent blunders supervisors make, wringing every drop of malaise and agony from what should be a lively, collaborative office - as well as some ideas for making things right. Article resource: https://personalmoneynetwork.com
Makes the typical start-up face-to-face processes of "Let's meet at Starbucks in an hour" and "Go find out what your partners and customers think about this" kind of difficult -- Skype notwithstanding. The water taxi and helicopter companies that service this will make a lot of money ....
I am sure there will be people out there that will not care for this, but I think it is super cool. An international ocean station. Should improve collaboration, innovation and the speed up the rate at which we are able to develop much needed tech solutions.
When the time is right for my nonprofit to have an office, I would jump at the opportunity due to the ability to have an international team in one office to collaborate and work as a team all day long. And I live in Berkely so I could take a 20mn + or - ferry ride to work. Love it, hope it happens.
JJ, think that SEZ in the desert was done already. It's called las vegas ;-). Apologies to all for the e on silicon in prior post; i'm east coast so cut me some slack. BTW, i don't like silicone unless it is in a caulking tube, and don't think i'd like silicon valleys or hills either.
I have to agree with Jack. The offer (although imaginative) is not compelling to entrepreneurs. Blueseed's offer focuses on proximity to Silicon Valley and that in itself is not enough for success. Silicon Valley is also not the only place to get venture capital. Look at Skype and Angry Birds.
What would be interesting is if the US were to set up an onshore special economic zone (SEZ). Perhaps build a new city in a desert or upgrade a closed military air base to be a magnet for the world's best and brightest. An SEZ comfortable enough where entrepreneurs could reside for long periods - maybe they might chose to do so permanently.
Good point JD - hadn't thought of that. Presumably they would be subject to the same laws as cruise ships, which assume are subject to local and national laws in port but international law beyond 14 mi territorial limits. Presumably leases with employers and agreements with employees would need to be executed to accept police powers by ship staff in lieu of police powers all citizens are implicitly subject to within political subdivisions and countries without need of signed agreements. Still baffles me: If a start-up entrepeneur can't get a visa to start a company here to hire silicone valley talent, ya think s/he might hire a local manager to establish an office on shore, then stay in touch electronically and meeting periodicallyin person there (tourist visa) and/or elsewhere - just like thousands of corporate branch offices have been doing it... Think i'd rather invest in the brooklyn bridge, if someone claims they own it.
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