Blueseed office seastead to open within 21 months

Blueseed (seasteading startup) plans to launch in the third quarter of 2013, offering living and office space in an elegantly designed modern tech environment so compelling that it will be called the “Googleplex of the Sea”, attracting top entrepreneurial and technology talent from all over the world to Silicon Valley, where they can create companies and jobs, and develop disruptive and innovative technologies.

Blueseed planned location

Blueseed rent

Blueseed will have a wide assortment of living and office space packages for rent. Tentatively, depending on the ship we will end up selecting, we estimate that prices will be starting at $1,200/person/month for our basic accommodations. For comparison, the average monthly rent for a studio in San Francisco is $1750 as of October 2011, competition for apartments is fierce, and incubator spaces sell for $400-$650 per desk.

In addition, each resident will need to deposit in escrow an amount sufficient to cover transportation back to their home country in case of necessity. This amount will be returned when the resident permanently leaves Blueseed.

Visas and Passports

As a foreign national, to legally earn a paycheck in the United States, you would need a valid U.S. work visa. To live and earn a paycheck aboard the Blueseed vessel, you will only need a passport.

If you are outside of the U.S., you’ll have to enter the U.S. first before boarding the Blueseed vessel. The best way to do this, and to be allowed to legally come to mainland, is to obtain a B1 (business) or B2 (tourist) visa. These visas are easier to obtain because they don’t grant the right to work in the U.S., are usually valid for 10 years (check validity for your country here) and are often combined into a B1/B2 business/pleasure visa. Nationals of 36 industrialized nations are exempted from this requirement for travel periods of up to 90 days, under the Visa Waiver program.

Internet Communication
Blueseed plans to provide reliable, multiple-fallback, high-bandwidth Internet connectivity via a point-to-point 10Gbps laser link with satellite link backup. We are also looking at additional backup solutions using submarine cable and potentially a series of WiMAX relay buoys.

How safe is the ship against natural and man-made threats?

The Blueseed vessel will be located near the coast of California, and will be safe from:

* tsunamis (which only affect the shore, and have no effect on ships at sea),
* hurricanes (which don’t happen near California),
* earthquakes (again, not affecting ships at sea),
* or pirates – they don’t exist near California to begin with, they have much better targets (cargo ships, for instance, with little personnel and a lot of cargo already packaged for resale), and they would much rather not deal with the U.S. Navy or the U.S. Coast Guard.

Living accommodations

* Comfortable living quarters accommodating one to four individuals per room
* Catering and food services at cafes and 24-hour venues around the ship
* Recreational facilities including a full service gym, game rooms, and other entertainment venues
* A comfortable and inspiring environment enriched by international experiences and lifestyles

Working accommodations

* Customizable individual or group office space in a variety of size and furnishing configurations
* A professional environment that is conducive to creative, innovative, and stress-free productivity
* Cost-effective, modern, simplified legal and business environment with low overhead

Conveniences of modern life

* Ship-wide high-speed Internet access
* Peace of mind including 24-hour security, concierge, and medical services
* On-board convenience stores and post office
* Convenient access to the SF Bay Area
* Ferry and other access services for onboard foreign national clients or US domestic commuters

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