 |
| Robert Dobyns said there is space for up to 200 people on his crowdfunding cruise, which costs between $950 and $1,095 |
You don't often hear "crowdfunding" and "cruise ship" used together in a sentence. But Robert Dobyns is now in the process of planning what may be the first ever crowdfunding cruise, set to depart on a Carnival Cruise ship from Galveston, Texas, in September.
When I first heard about the voyage, I was skeptical—the whole point of crowdfunding, in which ventures raise money from groups of individuals, is that you can do it wherever, whenever—and usually via the Internet.
However, Dobyns, who is the Houston-based CEO of four different crowdfunding platforms, explained that the cruise is more of a gathering of crowdfunding experts. They include lawyers, angel investors, accountants and venture capitalists. There may be a few people who are interested in funding their new companies, such as new apps or film companies, on a crowdfunding platform, but many of the people who will be on board will come to learn more about the industry as a whole.
The four-night cruise will include both speaking engagements and activities at the cruise’s destination in Cozumel.
Dobyns scheduled the cruise for September because it is after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is expected to make a ruling about the legality of equity-based crowdfunding—therefore, experts will be able to discuss it.
Overall, Dobyns hopes the cruise will attract many industry experts and will lead to more knowledge about the industry as a whole.
"There are a lot of events for crowdfunding, but I thought, 'You know what, I always enjoyed cruises'," Dobyns said. "This allows people to have a 'workation'."
This post originally appeared in the Houston Business Journal.