If you float it, they will come.
That's the lesson of Blueseed, a brave new utopia for startups that will be anchored in international waters, 12 miles off the coast of the San Francisco peninsula — aka Silicon Valley — sometime in the second half of 2013. The company calls its floating campus the "Googleplex of the sea."
Blueseed is funded by Peter Thiel, the billionaire co-founder of PayPal and early investor in Facebook. Famous for his libertarian views, Thiel is eager to create more havens for startups that are free from all government regulation — indeed, from all laws. (To that end, he has also pledged $1.25 million to the Seasteading Institute.)
As laughable as it may sound to some, startups are flocking to fulfill Thiel's vision. Blueseed has released the details of a survey on its website, which shows 133 international startups willing and eager to get on board. A plurality are from the US, but there's also a lot of interest from India, Australia, Canada, Europe and practically every other area of the world:
What's the draw? Well, partly, it's the fact that no U.S. passport or visa would be required to live and work on board the vessel. (If Blueseed is successful, this could be one way around the dearth of H1-B visas for engineers, something which is much lamented in the tech world.)
Mostly, according to Blueseed's survey, it's the proximity to Silicon Valley, less than half an hour away by helicopter or somewhat more by shuttle boat and bus. But we wonder if the startup founders have been also tempted by the Googleplex-like array of amenities promised: high-speed wifi across the ship, 24-hour cafes, a full-service gym, concierge, medical services and (strangely enough for a libertarian venture) a post office.
Blueseed is still very much in the concept stage. Check out the pictures below for renderings of various designs the company is considering, and let us know in the comments: would you live and work here?
X marks the spot in international waters where Blueseed intends to moor itself.
This concept imagines a modified container ship with swimming pool.
Being in international waters doesn't mean friends can't visit.
This is easily the most futuristic of the Blueseed concept ships. Paging the Doctor Who set designers.
Floating startup incubator -- or cruise ship?
Being at sea doesn't mean you can't have plenty of greenery on your upper deck.
This flock of gulls wishes it had that kind of VC funding.
... or hipster housing development?
Another load of Chinese imports arrives. Watch out for the helicopter!
M.C. Escher would be proud.
Celebrate your freedom from U.S. government regulation!
This design comes complete with a couple of nods to Buckminster Fuller.
Helicopter, shuttle, container delivery -- there is no end to the ways you can get on board this vessel.
Note the futuristic wind turbines.
For real startups, real football is the new foosball. Given how little exercise you'll get on board a ship, everyone should really sign up for the league. (Not that there are any "should"s in libertarian paradise.)
complete with running track -- and strange ghostly silhouettes.
It looks like you can also bike around the ship. Just don't pull any wheelies near the edge.
Are those lifeboats -- or submarines? We see a 'Thunderbirds'-style spin-off here.
Plenty of seating for that soccer match.
But will residents have to present their passports every time they travel to shore?
Yes, that is the name of this concept vessel. A nod to Tolkien or a 9/11 memorial?
When the sun goes down, the startup partying can begin. For these two, at least. Everyone else is still coding.
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