This actually doesn't solve the problem it think it does. If this is an 'incubator' like YC (i.e. only lasts 3 months) this doesn't make any sense, because I can get a visitor's visa (B-2 I believe) to go and participate in YC.
If this is a more long-term solution, and given that they are renting office space for $1300 - $3000/mo, you can actually get an E-2 Treaty Visa assuming that you can prove that your company will employ 10 people over 2 years and be setting up office locally, and investing a minimum of at least $200K I believe. This was even before relaxation of H1-B rules that allowed foreign workers to start their own companies.
So I am not sure how far this will go...they should re-examine what they are trying to do. It sounds like they are just trying to experiment with a Seasteading exercise and have it subsidized by funded tech startups.
If the real aim is to solve the immigration problem for startups, this particular solution might not be the best.
B-2 is for tourists. You're probably thinking of the B-1, but as I understand it that precludes "productive work" and only allows meetings.
The idea is to provide a platform for companies that aren't yet large enough to take advantage of visas that are available to larger firms. So startups that got traction would eventually transfer over to being normal SV companies.
> The idea is to provide a platform for companies that aren't yet large enough to take advantage of visas that are available to larger firms. So startups that got traction would eventually transfer over to being normal SV companies.
That would make sense, except their offering doesn't sound like that's what they are aiming at. For a company to reach the point where it is spending $3K/mo just to be within 12 miles off the shore of SV, with crappy satellite inet...they would have to already be at the point where they can transition into being a 'normal SV company'...thereby making this point moot.
Comments
This actually doesn't solve the problem it think it does. If this is an 'incubator' like YC (i.e. only lasts 3 months) this doesn't make any sense, because I can get a visitor's visa (B-2 I believe) to go and participate in YC.
If this is a more long-term solution, and given that they are renting office space for $1300 - $3000/mo, you can actually get an E-2 Treaty Visa assuming that you can prove that your company will employ 10 people over 2 years and be setting up office locally, and investing a minimum of at least $200K I believe. This was even before relaxation of H1-B rules that allowed foreign workers to start their own companies.
So I am not sure how far this will go...they should re-examine what they are trying to do. It sounds like they are just trying to experiment with a Seasteading exercise and have it subsidized by funded tech startups.
If the real aim is to solve the immigration problem for startups, this particular solution might not be the best.
B-2 is for tourists. You're probably thinking of the B-1, but as I understand it that precludes "productive work" and only allows meetings.
The idea is to provide a platform for companies that aren't yet large enough to take advantage of visas that are available to larger firms. So startups that got traction would eventually transfer over to being normal SV companies.
> The idea is to provide a platform for companies that aren't yet large enough to take advantage of visas that are available to larger firms. So startups that got traction would eventually transfer over to being normal SV companies.
That would make sense, except their offering doesn't sound like that's what they are aiming at. For a company to reach the point where it is spending $3K/mo just to be within 12 miles off the shore of SV, with crappy satellite inet...they would have to already be at the point where they can transition into being a 'normal SV company'...thereby making this point moot.