The wealth of the modern world comes from specialization and trade. Rather than trying to be self-sufficient, seasteads will specialize – trading sushi for steak.
One of our research priorities is identifying the best onboard businesses to provide jobs for seastead residents, as well as the best ocean-based exports to trade for the numerous specialized imports seasteads will need from land. This requires us to investigate viable business models that take advantage of seasteads’ numerous unique features.
For example, millions of people worldwide travel to other countries each year to save money on medical procedures. Seasteading can make such “medical tourism” more convenient by stationing medical facilities much closer to home.
Our research aims to help answer the questions:
- Where are the best locations for different kinds of businesses?
- Who can provide financing?
- Who are domain experts (marine engineers, financiers, attorneys, etc.) who can provide specialized advice?
- What are the legal pitfalls?
- How can businesses reach their customers?
Key Research
Flagging Options for Seasteading Projects
(Sean Hickman) – International and maritime law requires all ships to fly the flag of an existing nation. Most countries place strict regulations on individuals or companies that wish to fly their flag, but there are a number of countries that operate so-called open registries, offering ship owners from around the world the option to register their vessels under what are known as “flags of convenience” (FOCs). Flying the flag of an open registry country seems to be the best option for early seasteading ventures, because it offers the highest possible degree of autonomy and independence without placing seasteads outside of the law. This paper considers the merits of various open registry countries in terms of reputation, regulations, costs and requirements with the purposes of early seasteading ventures in mind, and offers case studies of the costs and benefits of six promising open registry countries.
Seasteading Location Study: Ship-Based and Large-Scale City Scenarios
(Shanee Stopnitzky, James Hogan, George Petrie, Elie Amar, Dario Mutabdzija, Max Marty and Rafa Gutierrez) – To determine the most promising locations for seastead communities, The Seasteading Institute has evaluated the entire ocean, based on a comprehensive set of criteria related to environmental, economic, legal and political considerations. Data sets for each criterion are presented in the form of color-coded heat maps depicting the desirability of possible locations for two different seastead scenarios: a small, ship-based seastead, and a large “Metropolistead,” or full-fledged city on the ocean. High resolution maps of the individual criteria, as well as aggregated maps, can be viewed here.
Business Research Overview Report
This paper, “Seasteading Business: Context, Opportunity and Challenge” is an analysis of the seasteading business
environment. Authors Max Marty and Max Borders explore the potential landscape of for-profit activity
aboard seasteads. We cover a broad range of economic and business-related topics from clear-cut, early-stage revenue
models to speculations about what forms seasteading businesses may take in the medium term.
Sink or Swim Business Plan Contest
To encourage the development of practical seasteading related businesses, The Seasteading Institute launched
the Sink or Swim business model contest. The contest is now complete, and the winners have
been selected. The winning entries received prizes totaling $10,000. Entries were judged based on a variety
of factors, including profitability, risk, pollution, and how well the plan leverages a seastead’s comparative
advantage. Entrants assumed their businesses would exist as one of many businesses aboard a platform 25
miles off the coast of a large first-world city, such as Miami or Shanghai.
The Seasteading Conference 2012
Join The Seasteading Institute at San Francisco’s luxurious Le Méridien Hotel for The Seasteading Conference, May 31 to June 2, 2012. The conference will highlight budding business opportunities in the seasteading movement, technological advances, and policy issues that may affect seasteaders. Meet fellow entrepreneurs, investors, engineers, ocean law experts, maritime professionals and other forward-thinking individuals, and discover where you fit into the up-and-coming for-profit seasteading sector. Experience some of San Francisco’s finest accommodations and amenities, and get a taste of “life on the sea” as we close the conference with a sunset dinner cruise around the bay. Join vanguards of the movement on Friday night at historic Forbes Island for an optional benefactor’s dinner to support the continued success of The Seasteading Institute, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Our capacity for the weekend is extremely limited — register today to secure your place in seasteading history!
©2012 The Seasteading Institute