21 hours ago
Indian-Origin Entrepreneur Acquires Island Near Singapore To Build A New Country For Techies, Founders
Indian-American entrepreneur Balaji Srinivasan has taken a significant step towards realising his vision of a "Network State" by acquiring a private island near Singapore. Mr Srinivasan, co-founder of Counsyl Inc. and former CTO of Coinbase, aims to create a decentralised, digital-first nation for founders, technologists, and innovators. His concept, outlined in his book"The Network State," revolves around building online communities united by shared values, which would eventually acquire physical territory and seek global recognition as a sovereign entity, TechCrunch reported.
Instagram user Nick Peterson, currently enrolled in the program, shared a virtual tour of the island, describing it as "an oasis for gym rats and startup founders." Students begin their day with gym sessions and take classes in AI, technology, and other subjects.
"I've been living in this real-life experiment called the Network School, run by Balaji Srinivasan, where we are kind of testing what creating a new nation would feel like," he said.
Watch the video here:
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A post shared by Nick Peterson (@nickpeterson17)
The Network School
Mr Srinivasan's Network School, launched in September 2024, serves as a living experiment and prototype for his Network State vision. Its purpose is to "revitalise democracy for the internet era" and to 'pursue truth, health, and wealth by levelling up our attendees personally, physically, and professionally." The three-month residential program brings together aspiring startup founders and fitness enthusiasts on a private island near Singapore. Notably, the entrepreneur's ultimate goal is to establish a "Network State," a decentralised, digital-first nation for technologists and innovators.
On X, he wrote, "We got an island. That's right. Through the power of Bitcoin, we now have a beautiful island near Singapore where we're building the Network School."
See the tweet here:
THE NETWORK SCHOOL
We got an island.
That's right. Through the power of Bitcoin, we now have a beautiful island near Singapore where we're building the Network School. We're starting with a 90-day popup that runs from Sep 23 to Dec 23, right after the Network State Conference.…
— Balaji (@balajis) August 16, 2024
At the school, participants engage in activities like:
Physical Fitness: Gym sessions to promote holistic growth
Cutting-Edge Topics: Classes on artificial intelligence, blockchain, and entrepreneurship
Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Encouraging personal, physical, and professional development
"We're seeking dark talent. We're seeking people who want to create win-and-help-win societies, focused on both individual and collective self-improvement. We're seeking remote workers, digital nomads, online creators, personal trainers, event planners, self-improvers and technologists of all stripes. And we're specifically seeking those who want to help our nascent community learn technology, earn cryptocurrency, burn calories, and have fun," Mr Srinivasan said.
Who is Balaji S. Srinivasan?
Balaji S. Srinivasan is an American entrepreneur, investor, and author known for his work in technology and cryptocurrency. Born May 24, 1980, to physician parents from Tamil Nadu, India, he grew up in Plainview, New York. He holds BS, MS, and PhD degrees in Electrical Engineering and an MS in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University. Mr Srinivasan co-founded Counsyl, a genetic testing company acquired by Myriad Genetics for $375 million in 2018, and 21 Inc. (later a Bitcoin-related startup acquired by Coinbase, where he served as CTO from 2018 to 2019.
He was a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz from 2013 to 2018 and co-founded Teleport (acquired by Topia) and Coin Centre. He's an early investor in numerous tech and crypto ventures, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Alchemy, and OpenSea. He authored The Network State: How to Start a New Country (2022), advocating for digital communities to form autonomous, tech-driven societies.
In 2024, he launched The Network School in Malaysia to explore these ideas. He aims to establish Network Schools globally, with plans for locations in Dubai, Tokyo, and Miami.
His views, including critiques of traditional governance and advocacy for decentralisation, have sparked debate, with some critics comparing his concepts to modern colonialism. Mr Srinivasan is active on platforms like X and Substack, where he shares his philosophy on technology, governance, and wealth creation.
