Guillermo Söhnlein
![]() |
Guillermo Söhnlein | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Born | Buenos Aires, Argentina | 18 May 1966
Nationality | American |
Education | University of California, Berkeley University of California Hastings College of the Law |
Occupation | Social entrepreneur |
Known for | co-founder of OceanGate |
Guillermo Söhnlein (born May 18, 1966) is an Argentine-American businessman, best known as the co-founder of deep-sea exploration company OceanGate. Söhnlein left the company in 2013, retaining a minority stake.[1][2]
Professional career
[edit]In 1998, Söhnlein co-founded Milo, a speech recognition technology company that was acquired by Voxeo[3] in 2001.
After relocating to the Northern Virginia region outside Washington, D.C., he worked with a number of technology startup ventures,[4][5][6] and advised several technology-related investment groups, incubators, and economic development agencies,[7][8] and gave frequent talks about the field.[9][10]
Space commercialization ventures
[edit]In 2003, Söhnlein founded the International Association of Space Entrepreneurs (IASE), which was a nonprofit organization created to encourage successful entrepreneurs from other industries to start aerospace-related ventures and start-ups.[11][12] The group grew from 5 people to almost 1,500 individuals around the world.[13] In 2010, the online community was transferred to the Space Frontier Foundation for ongoing growth, and IASE officially disbanded.[14]
In 2006, he founded Space Angels Network, a for-profit angel investor group for early-stage aerospace ventures.[13][15]
Venusian colony project
[edit]Söhnlein founded the Humans2Venus Foundation in January 2020[16] with entrepreneur Khalid Al-Ali.[17]
SFF planned sending thousands people above floating city on Venus around 2050.[18][19][20] Söhnlein explained to The Independent "that [Venus's] inhospitable surface, which is around 864 degrees Fahrenheit (462 degrees Celsius), should not be an issue if humans simply build a home 50km in its air where conditions are reportedly similar to those on the Earth."[16]
Ocean exploration ventures
[edit]In 2009, Söhnlein co-founded OceanGate with Stockton Rush, a venture that provided deep-sea crewed submersibles.[21]
In 2010, he re-launched the Ocean Exploration Committee of the Marine Technology Society, a nonprofit membership association supporting students and industry professionals in marine-related fields.[22]
In 2013, he founded Blue Marble Exploration, which organized high-profile expeditions to explore the oceans in crewed submersibles.
Sea-Space Connections
[edit]In 2011, Söhnlein founded the Sea-Space Initiative, a global project to provide collaboration in ocean and space industries.[23] The first program, launched in May 2012, is the Sea-Space Summit, a global series of invitation-only workshops.[24][25]
References
[edit]- ^ Latona, David (23 June 2023). "Titanic sub firm's late CEO was committed to safety, says co-founder". Reuters.
- ^ BBC News (20 June 2023). "Titanic sub live updates: Families mourn dead as safety questions mount". BBC News. Retrieved 2023-06-23.
- ^ "Voxeo Acquires Phone+Web Professional Services Firm Milo". Voxeo.com. 2001-03-20. Archived from the original on 2006-10-15. Retrieved 2012-08-19.
- ^ "Bush talks Social Security to tech leaders – Washington Business Journal". Bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2012-08-19.
- ^ "International Foundation for Entrepreneurship Science and Technology". Ifest.info. Archived from the original on 2012-09-11. Retrieved 2012-08-19.
- ^ "Print Story". Weblogic.sys-con.com. 2006-01-01. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2012-08-19.
- ^ "Annual Meeting June 20, 2008". docslide. 2008-06-20. Retrieved 2012-08-19.
- ^ "SetterDrive.com". setterdrive.com. Archived from the original on 2013-02-02. Retrieved 2012-08-19.
- ^ "The Andy Forbes Files Podcasts and Archive Listings". Directorypodcast.com. Retrieved 2012-08-19.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Capital Science 2004 | Washington Academy of SciencesWashington Academy of Sciences". Washacadsci.org. 1996-09-10. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2012-08-19.
- ^ "The Space Show hosted by: Dr. David Livingston". Thespaceshow.com. 2004-08-10. Archived from the original on 2015-10-02. Retrieved 2012-08-19.
- ^ "A Launching Pad for Space Entrepreneurs". washingtonpost.com. 2005-01-20. Retrieved 2012-08-19.
- ^ a b "EVA Interviews Guillermo Söhnlein". Out of the Cradle. 2009-03-01. Retrieved 2012-08-19.
- ^ "Space Entrepreneurship Group Passes Baton — Space Frontier Foundation". Spacefrontier.org. 2010-05-26. Archived from the original on 2013-10-07. Retrieved 2012-08-19.
- ^ "Aerospace Venture Forum — Academic VC". Academicvc.com. 2008-07-21. Retrieved 2012-08-19.
- ^ a b Guiness, Emma (2023-06-21). "OceanGate's co-founder failed to get people to the Titanic but says he can safely put humans on Venus". The Independent. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
- ^ Guenot, Marianne (2023-07-28). "OceanGate's cofounder wants to send 1,000 people to a floating colony on Venus by 2050, and says we shouldn't stop pushing the limits of innovation". Business Insider. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
- ^ "The Space Café Podcast #86: Guillermo Soehnlein – From Titan Tragedy to Venus – The Audacious Journeys of Ocean Gate's Original Co-founder". Retrieved 2023-10-18.
- ^ "Co-Founder Of OceanGate Involved in Sub Disaster Sets His Sights On Venus". NDTV.com. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
- ^ Dredd, Peter (2023-08-01). "OceanGate Co-Founder Wants To Send 1,000 People To Venus By 2050". Dreddsworld. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
- ^ Lackner, Catherine (2012-07-05). "Sub caters to adventurers with zest to learn". Miami Today. Retrieved 2012-08-19.
- ^ "MTS: News". Mtsociety.org. Archived from the original on 2014-08-29. Retrieved 2012-08-19.
- ^ "The Space Show hosted by: Dr. David Livingston". Thespaceshow.com. 2011-03-15. Retrieved 2012-08-19.
- ^ "News Talk Radio 77 WABC New York". Wabcradio.com. Retrieved 2012-08-19.
- ^ "The Space Show hosted by: Dr. David Livingston". Thespaceshow.com. 2012-05-16. Retrieved 2012-08-19.