Homegrown Corporation Writeups For Your Traveller Universe

[Terry Mixon]

Someone recently asked if I had a writeup for MixCorp that I could share for them to include in the library data for their Traveller Universe and I was happy to dash something off for them. Today, it occurred to me that having a sampling of homegrown corporations in one place might be useful. So, I'll share mine and hope you'll share yours in turn.

MixCorp

MixCorp is based out of Vincennes (Debeb Sector 1122), where they have an expansive TL16 shipyard. They have subsidiary TL15 yards in a number of other systems across Charted Space, all in the process of stepping up to TL16 over the next decade.

The company was founded by the Mixon family--originally from Terra--but that was a long time ago. They are spread out across Charted Space with ship building being their primary specialty though robot design and construction is catching up fast. Many believe--and rightly so--that MixCorp is angling to one day become a megacorporation. Perhaps even sooner than some would guess.

The company is privately held but has lots of subsidiaries in different areas that have, on occasion, competed against one another. Usually nothing too destructive, but annoying to the higher ups. Lots of jockeying for research and operational funds. Let's just say that family reunions can get... spirited.

Whatever they have going on in-house, they present a united front to any outsiders, and bring the entire company to bear on the malefactor with the unofficial motto "He's an ass, but he's our ass. Only we get to screw with him."

The current head of the Mixon clan, Terry Mixon, has visions of exporting TL16 far and wide, and is pushing skilled people and technical infrastructure to MixCorp subsidiaries across Charted Space. He thinks big and anyone that sells MixCorp short will find themselves on the wrong end of the official MixCorp motto, "Step into the future or be left in the past."

 

[Anstett]

Clean Air Industries

Founded by the Batav family {Batav, Tobia Subsector, Trojan Reach, 3219} in the mid-800's as a local manufacturing solution to importing from Tobia {Tobia, Tobia Subsector. Trojan Reach, 3215} in an effort to save costs for the colony.

Over time they have expanded into a much larger corporation with a dual focus on life support for spaceships and habitats. In 1095 they were instrumental in supplying the Imperial Navy Fleet 204 on an emergency basis. That garnered them a short-term contract that they used to expand to multiple Starports along the Florian Trade Route in the Borderlands.

Baron Meerestiefen Batav is the current primary shareholder of the Corporation. He is actively seeking additional agreements throughout the Borderlands. Supplying reliable life support filtration systems without the Imperial price tag.

 

[Limpin Legin]

Someone recently asked if I had a writeup for MixCorp that I could share for them to include in the library data for their Traveller Universe and I was happy to dash something off for them. Today, it occured to me that having a sampling of homegrown corporations in one place might be useful. So, I'll share mine and hope you'll share yours in turn.

MixCorp

...

The company is privately held but has lots of subsidiaries in different areas that have, on occasion, competed against one another. Usually nothing too destructive, but annoying to the higher ups. Lots of jockeying for research and operational funds. Let's just say that family reunions can get... spirited.

...

The current head of the Mixon clan, Terry Mixon, has visions of exporting TL16 far and wide, and is pushing skilled people and technical infrastructure to MixCorp subsidiaries across Charted Space. He thinks big and anyone that sells MixCorp short will find themselves on the wrong end of the official MixCorp motto, "Step into the future or be left in the past."

Does Terry Mixon have any visions of MixCorp becoming a MegaCorp? As MegaCorps are a thing in Traveller:

Megacorporation - Traveller

wiki.travellerrpg.com

Maybe he could buy a planet and own armies or agencies that could quell the 'competition' between subsidiaries?

 

[Terry Mixon]

Does Terry Mixon have any visions of MixCorp becoming a MegaCorp? As MegaCorps are a thing in Traveller:

Megacorporation - Traveller

wiki.travellerrpg.com

Maybe he could buy a planet and own armies or agencies that could quell the 'competition' between subsidiaries?

He does have plans, oh, yes.

 

[Limpin Legin]

Rozzle Energy Zaibatsu

Rozzle Energy Zaibatsu (REZ) manufacture planet-side Terraforming Infrastructure. They also employ security forces to defend their own and their client's Infrastructure. They have been in business since the early TL12 days of Humaniti, although their exact origins is now mythological since their original records were destroyed during the sprawling chaos of the Long Night. Modern day REZ R&D includes prototech for Global Terraforming (TL16).


Zoncaster Pale Moon Amt.

Zoncaster Pale Moon Amt. Is an amalgamation of Zoncaster LLC and Pale Moon PLC. ZPM manufacture fabricators and tool sets at all known tech levels. Both companies started trading in the Foreven Sector, before they became an amalgamated business. Zoncaster purchased the ailing Pale Moon business, and rescued it from it’s misguided board-level decisions that saw it’s share values plummet and mass resignation of it’s directors. Owning several planets around the Foreven Sector helps bolster ZPM’s clout and influence in the market.

 

[mavikfelna]

Anderson Universal Technologies Group
AVT Group LLC is small megacorp operating out of Rhylenor/Rhylenor/Spinward Marches 2716.

They are trying to become an integrated manufacturer of technology of all kinds up to TL15. Though small on an Imperial scale, their products and services can be found throughout the Marches for reasonable prices, at least where they have captured local markets. Home appliances and household robots are their primary products but they make inexpensive "retro tech" computers that are often shipped to and sold on low tech worlds to help boost such worlds in a higher tech tier.

Recently, they have acquired a TL 12 shipyard in Macene that they are trying to build out to service and build jump capable ships. The design work is currently being done Rhylenor but the corp is shipping in personnel and resources at a prodigious rate, hoping to have a fully integrated shipyard running in the next decade. They do currently produce a variety of small craft for the Navy and belter community.

AVT has a long term contract with WebStar Transport for the transport of their goods around the March.

 

[ishldgetoutmore]

I am glad my question inspired some excellent worldbuilding! I got the idea from the old "Famille Spofulam" products that amused everyone on the old Traveller Mailing List. Famille Spofulam was the corporation author RD Elliot blamed all of his hilarious Megatraveller products on, like the MegaBoing Grav Pogo Stick. Having an in-universe corporation makes it really easy to introduce stuff people post online, without interfering with the canonicity of things you use from published sources.

 

[Shardan13]

Sorry for the overlong post and hopeful in the correct format.

Project Genesis

A black sheep among the corporations it was only founded two years ago and trades primarily in the Debeb and the Spinward Marches sectors. Investigative reporters have discovered that it's upper management has links to the Imperial Government and the Imperial Navy but not yet discovered where it's operating out of. Project Genesis has not denied claims that it is acting as an instrument to funnel developments from Imperial Research Stations to the general public.

Project Genesis dominates a very unusual and some would say unprofitable niche, self-repairing goods mostly aimed at the private military contractor. Vehicles, weapons, armor and supporting equipment that is horrible expensive and out reach of most mercenary companies budgets. There are unsubstantiated claims that some mercenary companies and security forces have struck some kind of "devil's deal" with the corporation to gain access to its goods cheaply.

Project Genesis has released holoimages of its new product. It appears to be some type of motorcycle that critics claim that it looks like it escaped from a Terran horror movie. Various experts suggest that the vehicle is likely biological in nature.

 

[Condottiere]

Corporation: ORIONSPACE

You need a transporter that, if it doesn't have minimal capital outlay, has minimal total cost of ownership.

If the emphasis is on passenger travel, we have to make the net profit greater than that of freight.

And if we base it on ye Seven Thirty Seven, we could be looking at accommodations between fifty to two hundred passengers.

If flight time was between twelve to twenty four hours, we probably could just use acceleration chairs or couches; anything longer, it has to be some form of bunk arrangement, at the low end, and staterooms, for first class.

High Guard lists one steward per hundred middle passage passengers, though I'd go with the normal ratio of one per forty nine, which mind you, is supposedly for one shift of, let's say, twelve hours.

Corporation: ORIONSPACE

Polyphemus looks like an interesting position for a hub.

You wouldn't think so, in a trinary star system.

But, that added complication sort of requires a more consolidated transport infrastructure, which would give the advantage to the native interstellar company, compared to a non native starline.

Practically surrounded by Alpha starports, should have sufficient traffic to maintain regular routes.

Corporation: ORIONSPACE

Polyphemus is a high-population world with a billion or more sophonts in population size.

This is a "high technology" world with technology achievements at, near, or above the standard for Charted Space.

This world is a "Twilight Zone World", a planet that is tidally-locked to its star. It has a hot side that permanently faces the
star, a cold side that permanently faces away, and a narrow twilight zone in-between.

It is a member of the Boötean Federation, which is part of the Solomani Confederation, in the Capella Subsector of Solomani Rim Sector.

This world has a colony at Teucer (world).


With three suns, the system should have plenty of destinations for sublight travel.

A cheap, no frills spaceline could clean up.

Especially, with a world where the inhabitants must be sick of their twilight existence, and would like to travel.

 

[ResslynHalvik]

Has anyone run up Business Model Canvases for Traveller corps?
I very much want to design a smallish company undertaking (xeno-)archaeological excavations, but haven't worked out how they make money

(I've got organisation and equipment throught through, just can't justify their financial existence)

 

[Shardan13]

Has anyone run up Business Model Canvases for Traveller corps?
I very much want to design a smallish company undertaking (xeno-)archaeological excavations, but haven't worked out how they make money

(I've got organisation and equipment throught through, just can't justify their financial existence)

I'm sure that the Imperial Government ,various planetary governments and education institutions would appreciate and hire such specialists specially if the company can also handle hostile environments as well.

 

[Limpin Legin]

I very much want to design a smallish company undertaking (xeno-)archaeological excavations, but haven't worked out how they make money

Institutional or academic grant.
Government charter.
Government funded department.
Council or Museum contract.
Corporate funding.
Subsidiary company.
Rival Interest funding.
Charitable donation.
Zero payment, just a promise of buried artefacts or *treasure*.
Detective Agency funding, if say, crime scene.
Xeno-aware military department.

 

[ResslynHalvik]

Institutional or academic grant.
Government charter.
Government funded department.
Council or Museum contract.
Corporate funding.
Subsidiary company.
Rival Interest funding.
Charitable donation.
Zero payment, just a promise of buried artefacts or *treasure*.
Detective Agency funding, if say, crime scene.
Xeno-aware military department.

Yeah, I'm thinking of many of those, but haven't worked out the numbers. I think I'll knock up a BMC and see how it looks.

 

[ishldgetoutmore]

I very much want to design a smallish company undertaking (xeno-)archaeological excavations, but haven't worked out how they make money

They take their theories and deductions and fictionalize them, turning them into entertainment franchises. They can then sell action figures, toys, games, fiction, etc. based on a specific excavation.

 

[ResslynHalvik]

They take their theories and deductions and fictionalize them, turning them into entertainment franchises. They can then sell action figures, toys, games, fiction, etc. based on a specific excavation.

Making TTRPGs a main product line?

 

[Fluffy Bunny Feet]

Sell your documentary of the project on 1000 planets and even a minor success could fund you for years. Let celebrities take part in the research for high fees (and appear in the documentaries and if they even have a peripheral connection with a discovery list them on the written paper.

 

[Anstett]

Sell your documentary of the project on 1000 planets and even a minor success could fund you for years. Let celebrities take part in the research for high fees (and appear in the documentaries and if they even have a peripheral connection with a discovery list them on the written paper.

Not my creation so will not put it up here.
@NotASnark has some items up for sale that include exactly that.

Tobia Uncovered! - a "news program" that does holo-documentaries around the Reach.

 

[ishldgetoutmore]

Making TTRPGs a main product line?

I'm thinking less D&D (although that was very successful) and more GoT or MCU.

 

[rinku]

Has anyone run up Business Model Canvases for Traveller corps?
I very much want to design a smallish company undertaking (xeno-)archaeological excavations, but haven't worked out how they make money

(I've got organisation and equipment throught through, just can't justify their financial existence)

Tax write offs from Megacorps. With an eye towards possible unexpected windfall finds.

 

[ResslynHalvik]

Thanks, all, for the suggestions. The economics of Traveller is something I have only come to as I have, um, _matured_ and I have a load of catching up to do on how the numbers work. Are the best sources the core rule book and the SOG?