Business

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 these 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

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.

Useful Links for Seasteading Businesses

We have compiled a list of links to resources within the existing maritime industry that will be helpful for nearly any early seasteading venture. Categories include ship brokers, finance, management, legal services, retrofitting, information portals, and more. These subjects are critical to the success of an ocean-based business. Fortunately, there are already competitive enterprises in all of these areas eager to serve seasteaders. This list will help free entrepreneurs to focus on the unique components of their business plans, rather than reinvent the wheel.