BoatCape

Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration, Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

Industry: Hospitality Tourism

Founding Student Name(s): Hayden Earl

Brief Description of Solution: BoatCape offers a unique yacht charter experience, allowing visitors to explore Cape Cod’s natural beauty like a true local – and with one! Our diverse fleet of yachts provides the perfect blend of comfort and adventure. Our mission is to educate visitors about the place we call home, all while ensuring a memorable trip!

Funding Dollars: $50,000 of angel investor capital in 2022. $30k of Series A in 2023.

What led you to launch this venture? I remember it like yesterday, walking down to the fishing docks of my small coastal town in Massachusetts, and seeing something that took my breath away. The harbor, usually bustling with vibrantly colored fishing boats was hauntingly empty. A sense of confusion rushed over me, and I blurted out: “Where are all the fishing boats?!”. A fisherman pulling his boat out of the water turned to me – hands clad in bright orange gloves – and said something simple, yet profound: “There isn’t no more fish to be caught.”

After a conversation, I learned that overfishing from tourists coupled with environmental degradation which had brought warmer waters to Cape Cod and driven the fish population north, had destroyed our fishing industry and the livelihoods of many. Dwindling catches had led to dwindling incomes, and my town’s fisherman had been displaced. It was in this moment that I felt a deep responsibility to help uplift my community.

A few months later, I founded a BoatCape, a yacht charter service to provide my community with a way to earn an income and stay connected to its coastal roots. BoatCape aims to educate visitors about the importance of environmental stewardship, out on the water, where seeing is believing!

What has been your biggest accomplishment so far with venture? In 2024, BoatCape had its second operational season. All the while, I was working an internship in Dallas TX, so this past summer proved to me that I had put the right people and practices in place to be successful. Additionally, I am proud that BoatCape was voted as a finalist for the 2024 Cornell University Business of the Year!

How has your business-related major helped you further this startup venture? I entered Cornell University with a love for the ocean as a lifelong sailor. I learned to sail at age five in a single-handed boat in Cape Cod, and later was fortunate to have been selected to compete internationally for the United States Olympic Development Sailing Team. After taking business and hospitality-related classes in my major at Cornell, I was able to marry my love for the ocean and passion for hospitality tourism to create BoatCape. Cornell University and the Nolan School have been extremely supportive of my venture.

Which business class has been most valuable in building your startup and what was the biggest lesson you gained from it? Persuasive Business Communication for Hospitality Leaders. This course gave me the tools to tell the story of my business and be able to confidently present it to investors. I learned how to make pitch decks, effectively communicate in business settings, and be a leader. The biggest lesson I learned from this class was how to think about my target audience and how I would reach them.

What business professor made a significant contribution to your plans and why? Tom Estad has made the biggest contribution to my venture and my overall character as an entrepreneur and human being. I met Tom during my first year at Cornell while I was enrolled in his class – HADM 1650: Business Writing and Communications. Tom and I developed a close relationship, and he became my mentor – meeting with me on weekends to give me advice about my young business, by my side through numerous pitch competitions, and as a friend when I needed one. Tom remains one of my biggest advocates and soundboards for BoatCape. This fall I am a teaching assistant for his Communication for Entrepreneurs class as well as helping develop curriculum for his Business Writing course for the second year in a row, where his younger students will pitch new side ventures for BoatCape.

What founder or entrepreneur inspired you to start your own entrepreneurial journey? How did he or she prove motivational to you? Muhammad Yunus of Grameen Bank, a microfinancing organization aimed at providing those in poverty in Bangladesh with credit to expand their businesses and tackle their entrepreneurial pursuits. Muhammad inspired me because of his dedication to helping his community in Bangladesh with social entrepreneurship. I think the world needs more social entrepreneurship, and Muhammad proved to me that I could be a change-maker.

What is your long-term goal with your startup? I want to develop a platform that connects boat captains with those looking for an on-the-water adventure – think the Uber for Boats! I would like to have a digital application that, for users, would only take a few clicks. And then boom – you have a boat waiting on the dock for you. Through this platform, it is my goal to scale the business and expand to new waters, where I can aid more ex-fishermen looking for a new source of livelihood.

How has your local startup ecosystem contributed to your venture’s development and success? I grew up in an entrepreneurial household where much of the dinner conversation was about how to make this product more efficient or that service more marketable. Growing up, I remember starting a snow shoveling business in the winters, teaching sailing in the summers, and selling soda to my friends in high school to make a few extra bucks. I think this drive was instilled in me by my parents, who have always pushed to think about creating lasting change that makes the lives of others better. They have always had my back!

DON’T MISS: THE MOST DISRUPTIVE BUSINESS SCHOOL STARTUPS OF 2024