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Assuming your are correct and Branson knows it because he hired good engineering advisers. Why would Branson get involved ? - It is a cool project he wants to

Assuming your are correct and Branson knows it because he hired good engineering advisers. Why would Branson get involved ? - It is a cool project he wants to be part of and he is willing to pay to see. (I would probably do that) - The benefit is not to reach the goal but all the technology that will be invented trying to reach the goal.

JumpCrisscross 9y ago
> Why would Branson get involved ? Branson is notorious for burning other peoples’ money. Look at Virgin Galactic: it’s New Mexicans’ [1] and Floridians’ [2] tax money plus some duped Emiratis [3]. (They also pre-sold tickets [4].) [1] https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/oct/04/space-travel-virgingalactic-haunts-new-mexico-town https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/oct/04/space-travel... [2] http://www.airnewstimes.co.uk/space-florida-promises-virgin-galactic-payloads-12869-news.html http://www.airnewstimes.co.uk/space-florida-promises-virgin-... [3] https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2009/07/28/uaes-aabar-takes-stake-in-virgin-galactic/ https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2009/07/28/uaes-aabar-takes-sta... [4] https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/
buckminster 9y ago
Branson's business model is selling the right to use the Virgin brand to other companies. The article doesn't say he made an investment. It is rather more likely that they paid him.
- puranjay 9y ago
  So basically Trump with more class?
  - neuronexmachina 9y ago
    ...and fewer bankruptcies.
    - zimpenfish 9y ago
      Although if you believe Private Eye about the state of Virgin's finances (convoluted, shifty, and blistering opaque), this may or may not be true.
- vidarh 9y ago
  Is that actually the case? My impression is that the vast majority of companies bearing the Virgin brand was either started by Virgin Group, bought by them, or has seen a significant investment. Many have since been divested again, and continued to license the brand, but I've not heard about any cases where they just licensed the brand without other financial involvement. Maybe I've just not paid attention?
  - gsnedders 9y ago
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_Group#Subsidiaries_and_investments https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_Group#Subsidiaries_and_... shows the majority being 100% owned by the Virgin Group, though notably none of the airlines nor rail operators are.
- Digit-Al 9y ago
  > The article doesn't say he made an investment. Actually, from the article: > Hyperloop One has received a significant investment in Hyperloop One And from the page linked to in that paragraph: > Delighted to announce Virgin Group’s investment in Hyperloop One Not exactly ambiguous.

JumpCrisscross 9y ago

> Why would Branson get involved ? Branson is notorious for burning other peoples’ money. Look at Virgin Galactic: it’s New Mexicans’ [1] and Floridians’ [2] tax money plus some duped Emiratis [3]. (They also pre-sold tickets [4].) [1] https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/oct/04/space-travel-virgingalactic-haunts-new-mexico-town https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/oct/04/space-travel... [2] http://www.airnewstimes.co.uk/space-florida-promises-virgin-galactic-payloads-12869-news.html http://www.airnewstimes.co.uk/space-florida-promises-virgin-... [3] https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2009/07/28/uaes-aabar-takes-stake-in-virgin-galactic/ https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2009/07/28/uaes-aabar-takes-sta... [4] https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/

buckminster 9y ago

Branson's business model is selling the right to use the Virgin brand to other companies. The article doesn't say he made an investment. It is rather more likely that they paid him.

puranjay 9y ago
So basically Trump with more class?
- neuronexmachina 9y ago
  ...and fewer bankruptcies.
  - zimpenfish 9y ago
    Although if you believe Private Eye about the state of Virgin's finances (convoluted, shifty, and blistering opaque), this may or may not be true.
vidarh 9y ago
Is that actually the case? My impression is that the vast majority of companies bearing the Virgin brand was either started by Virgin Group, bought by them, or has seen a significant investment. Many have since been divested again, and continued to license the brand, but I've not heard about any cases where they just licensed the brand without other financial involvement. Maybe I've just not paid attention?
- gsnedders 9y ago
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_Group#Subsidiaries_and_investments https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_Group#Subsidiaries_and_... shows the majority being 100% owned by the Virgin Group, though notably none of the airlines nor rail operators are.
Digit-Al 9y ago
> The article doesn't say he made an investment. Actually, from the article: > Hyperloop One has received a significant investment in Hyperloop One And from the page linked to in that paragraph: > Delighted to announce Virgin Group’s investment in Hyperloop One Not exactly ambiguous.