Indian startups set to sail, work and live on a floating city

A Silicon Valley company wants to float a ship into the international waters where 1,500 tech entrepreneurs can live and work.

Blueseed, which plans to anchor the ship 12 miles off the coast of San Francisco, says it will turn it into a city where people can live and work without facing the problems of government regulations.

The ship will have workspaces, Internet connection, 24-hour concierge services, gym and workers will live on it for six to 12 months. Blueseed says 1,300 entrepreneurs from 67 countries, including India, have already applied to become part of the floating city.

Blueseed will charter the MS Island Escape, a cruise ship which will be called Blueseed One, and a custom-made ship called Blueseed Two.

Let's take a look at startups planning to work and live on the floating city.

Source: Blueseed

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The United States

Startups interested in locating on Blueseed: 23 per cent

The location, 12 nautical miles from the coast of San Francisco, in international waters, will allow startup entrepreneurs from anywhere in the world to start or grow their company near Silicon Valley, without the need for a US work visa.

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India

Startups interested in locating on Blueseed: 10.3 per cent

The ship will be converted into a co-working and co-living space, and will have high-speed Internet access and daily transportation to the mainland via ferry boat.

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The United Kingdom

Startups interested in locating on Blueseed: 5.9 per cent

So far, more than 1,300 entrepreneurs from 67 countries have expressed interest in living on the ship.

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Canada

Startups interested in locating on Blueseed: 4.7 per cent

The company plans to launch the ship in the second quarter of 2014.

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Spain

Startups interested in locating on Blueseed: 3.7 per cent

It will offer 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.

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Australia

Startups interested in locating on Blueseed: 3.2 per cent

The living accomodations will be comfortable living quarters accommodating one to four individuals per room and will include catering and food services at cafes and 24-hour venues around the ship.

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France

Startups interested in locating on Blueseed: 3.2 per cent

It will have recreational facilities, including a full service gym, game rooms and other entertainment venues. It will offer a comfortable and inspiring environment enriched by international experiences and lifestyles.

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Brazil

Startups interested in locating on Blueseed: 2.7 per cent

The workspaces will be customizable individual or group office space in a variety of size and furnishing configurations. It will be a professional environment conducive to creative, innovative and stress-free productivity.

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China

Startups interested in locating on Blueseed: 2.2 per cent

It will be cost-effective, modern, simplified legal and business environment with low overhead.

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Russia

Startups interested in locating on Blueseed: 2.2 per cent

It will have ship-wide high-speed Internet access, 24-hour security, concierge, medical services, on-board convenience stores and a post office.

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Italy

Startups interested in locating on Blueseed: 2 per cent

It will also have convenient access to the San Francisco Bay Area and ferry and other access services for onboard foreign national clients or US domestic commuters.

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Argentina

Startups interested in locating on Blueseed: 1.7 per cent

Blueseed welcomes all talented individuals and companies, regardless of nationality, who could contribute positively to our culture of innovation, entrepreneurship and fruitful collaboration.

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Belgium

Startups interested in locating on Blueseed: 1.5 per cent

American startups have signed up as well, motivated by the prospect of working in a unique environment teeming with fresh ideas, side by side with hundreds of other startup founders from all over the world.

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Germany

Startups interested in locating on Blueseed: 1.5 per cent

It will have a wide assortment of living and office space packages for rent. Tentatively, depending on the ship the company will end up selecting, it estimates that prices will be starting at $1,200/person/month for basic accommodations.

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Singapore

Startups interested in locating on Blueseed: 1.5 per cent

For comparison, the average monthly rent for a studio in San Francisco is $2,159 as of April 2013, competition for apartments is fierce, and co-working spaces sell for $500-$650 per work desk per month.

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Ukraine

Startups interested in locating on Blueseed: 1.5 per cent

Mountain View (Google's headquarters area), where until about 2011 rents used to be half of those in San Francisco, has now reached an average price of 1,727 per month for a studio.

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Switzerland

Startups interested in locating on Blueseed: 1.5 per cent

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.

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Malaysia

Startups interested in locating on Blueseed: 1.2 per cent

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

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Pakistan

Startups interested in locating on Blueseed: 1.2 per cent

If an entrepreneur is outside of the US, they will have to enter the US 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.

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Mexico

Startups interested in locating on Blueseed: 1.2 per cent

These visas are easier to obtain because they don't grant the right to work in the US, are usually valid for 10 years and are often combined into a B1/B2 business/pleasure visa.

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Poland

Startups interested in locating on Blueseed: 1.2 per cent

While Blueseed doesn't collect taxes, any Blueseed resident will have to ensure they comply with all laws, regulations, and tax liabilities that apply to them or their firms, given their legal residence in the country whose flag Blueseed will fly (Bahamas, Marshall Islands, etc).

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Chile

Startups interested in locating on Blueseed: 1.2 per cent

The Blueseed vessel will fly the flag of a country that follows English/American common law and that has reputable judicial systems, such as The Bahamas (English common law) or Marshall Islands (based on American Law).

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The Netherlands

Startups interested in locating on Blueseed: 1 per cent

It will provide reliable, high-bandwidth Internet connectivity starting with a point-to-point 1Gbps microwave link with a satellite link backup.

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Denmark

Startups interested in locating on Blueseed: 1 per cent

Later stage plans include a 10Gbps laser link currently used in military applications and being phased into commercial usage, submarine cable deployment, and a mesh network of WiMAX routers placed on autonomous ocean robots.

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Japan

Startups interested in locating on Blueseed: 0.7 per cent

Blueseed will charter an existing cruise ship that can accomodate 1,540 passengers, but intends to have only 1,000, so as to provide extra room.