How many divers are there?

[mdb]

Leadking, I think you are spot on-as usual. PADI counting multiple certs for the same diver has long distorted the numbers.

I do believe the number has slipped in the last 10 yrs. or so. I do not think we had real new certifications for over 250,000 new divers in 2009-a far cry from even 1% of the general population of 330,000,000+.

 

[DiveNav]

To anyone trying to make a business case for a product this is huge information and can be the difference between getting funded (Angel investor or Venture Capitalist of some other sort) and not getting funded. So I'd say this is very good information to have specific verifiable numbers about.

Good luck with that

These days you need way more than a market report to raise capital

Alberto (aka eDiver)

 

[fjpatrum]

Nobody said anything about getting funding based on a market report. I said having the numbers can be the difference between getting funding and not. I didn't say anything further about how the numbers would be used to get the funding. Even in the best economic times anyone providing VC based on a market report without further analysis and a whole lot more business planning was just looking to lose their investment.

 

[Leadking]

Leadking, I think you are spot on-as usual. PADI counting multiple certs for the same diver has long distorted the numbers.

I do believe the number has slipped in the last 10 yrs. or so. I do not think we had real new certifications for over 250,000 new divers in 2009-a far cry from even 1% of the general population of 330,000,000+.

I think I have been a thorn in the side of certain groups for many years by stating the facts openly and honestly. I have long argued that one should not believe their own B.S. as it distorts the reality of the situation.

 

[DiveNav]

Nobody said anything about getting funding based on a market report. I said having the numbers can be the difference between getting funding and not. I didn't say anything further about how the numbers would be used to get the funding. Even in the best economic times anyone providing VC based on a market report without further analysis and a whole lot more business planning was just looking to lose their investment.

Of course .... as an Angel myself (I am member of the Tech Coast Angels) I can tell you that these days we want to see lot of progress - even revenue - before we write checks

Alberto (aka eDiver)