Where do you go if you want to change the world? According to the Wall Street Journal’s recent survey of LinkedIn, Silicon Valley is the place to be. The article finds evidence for their conclusion from successful entrepreneurs like Joe Lonsdale, who use their profiles on the popular networking site to publicly state their audacious visions. Lonsdale has been a generous supporter of The Seasteading Institute, in addition to serving as Chairman of the Board in its early days.
(Joe Lonsdale, speaking at the 2009 Seasteading Conference)
Writing for the Venture Capital Dispatch blog of WSJ.com, Yuliya Chernova offers a number of reasons why big dreams thrive in the Silicon Valley region – the startup culture, the availability of financing, and the proximity to established high-tech firms, to name a few. It’s Lonsdale, however, who tangentially hits on an even bigger source of innovative ideals, with the reason he gives for supporting our initiative:
“[Lonsdale] also writes in his profile that he is ‘helping [the Seasteading Institute] change the world by building a new frontier for humankind.'” [“Want to ‘Change the World’? Come to San Francisco” -3/1/13]
Ah, yes – frontiers! The West Coast of the United States, and the Bay Area in particular, can be fairly labeled the last major frontier to have been settled on land, making it the natural hub of visionary thinkers and entrepreneurs. Unfortunately, you can’t move any further west without getting a bit wet. That’s why we encourage entrepreneurs to start bold businesses capable of overcoming the challenges posed by the ocean environment, and why people like Lonsdale support out mission.
