Latest news with #NetworkSchool
Indian Express
5 hours ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Indian-American investor books island near Singapore for crypto-led ‘college town'
Indian-American tech entrepreneur Balaji Srinivasan has booked a private island near Singapore to start his 90-day programme called 'Network School'. This experimental project will explore topics like cryptocurrency, longevity science, and new ways of running societies. Srinivasan describes the school as a 'technocapitalist college town'. Announcing the plan in a personal post, Srinivasan invited people to apply. However, he made it clear that the school is not for those who still believe in the traditional systems of government and institutions. 'The more respect you have for legacy institutions, and the more respect they have for you, the less suitable you'll be as an applicant,' Srinivasan wrote. The programme will begin in late September and is part of Srinivasan's bigger dream to build 'network states' — digital communities that eventually take shape in the real world and aim to be officially recognised by existing countries. Srinivasan defines a network state as an online community that grows into a physical place and seeks recognition from existing governments. He explained this idea in his 2022 book, which became popular in Silicon Valley, especially among supporters of crypto and libertarian ideals. He has received praise from well-known figures like Vitalik Buterin (co-founder of Ethereum) and Marc Andreessen (venture capitalist). Srinivasan previously worked as a General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and served as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Coinbase, a major crypto exchange. He is also on the board of Coin Center, a group that supports crypto privacy and policy reforms. The three-month programme will include talks on digital nomadism (working remotely while traveling), crypto-based governance, and anti-aging research. Meals will be specially designed by Bryan Johnson, a tech entrepreneur known for spending millions trying to reverse aging. Srinivasan says the school is for people who believe that: This is not the first time someone has tried to create a real-world version of a digital community. Last year, Vitalik Buterin launched a temporary network state called Zuzalu in Montenegro. It was attended by tech leaders, artists like Grimes, and thinkers such as Patri Friedman, who supports creating new societies at sea. Zuzalu included lectures, cold plunges, and biohacking activities. Another project, Prospera in Honduras, supported by Peter Thiel's funding, created a special economic zone with low taxes and crypto-friendly laws. Srinivasan is currently accepting applications for the school. (With inputs from TechCrunch)
Mint
8 hours ago
- Business
- Mint
Indian-origin entrepreneur Balaji Srinivasan buys private island to build new nation for techies
Indian-origin tech entrepreneur Balaji Srinivasan has purchased a private island near Singapore to build what he calls a 'Network State'- a decentralised, digital-first society for techies, creators, and founders. Srinivasan, a former CTO of Coinbase and co-founder of multiple Silicon Valley ventures, envisions a future where online communities with shared values evolve into globally recognised nations. His project, which once sounded like a futuristic thought experiment, is now unfolding on a real island with real people, and it's creating quite the buzz, TechCrunch reported. The island is home to 'The Network School', a three-month residential programme that merges entrepreneurship, emerging tech, and personal transformation. Participants, handpicked for their ambition and unconventional thinking, wake up to gym sessions and spend the day attending workshops on artificial intelligence, blockchain, and startup innovation. '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,' Srinivasan posted on X. Srinivasan's long-term goal? To build a borderless, crowd-funded nation for digital nomads and tech-savvy changemakers — a concept he outlined in his 2022 book The Network State. According to him, the idea is to create self-improving communities that first exist online, then claim physical territory, and eventually negotiate global recognition. One participant, content creator Nick Peterson, shared a virtual tour of the island and described it as 'an oasis for gym rats and startup founders.' He added, 'I've been living in this real-life experiment called the Network School, where we are kind of testing what creating a new nation would feel like.' Srinivasan says the school is designed to foster 'win-and-help-win' societies focused on truth, health, and wealth. The island curriculum is deeply rooted in his broader mission to rethink governance in the digital age. Born to Tamil-origin physician parents in New York, Balaji Srinivasan holds multiple degrees in Electrical and Chemical Engineering from Stanford University. Over the past two decades, he has co-founded and backed several high-profile tech ventures — including Counsyl, and Teleport — and invested early in Bitcoin, Ethereum, OpenSea, and Alchemy. The 44-year-old is one of Silicon Valley's more provocative thinkers, often stirring debate with his critiques of traditional institutions and his push for decentralised systems. Critics have likened his 'network nation' idea to modern-day techno-utopianism, or even digital-age colonialism — but Srinivasan remains undeterred. In 2024, he launched the first Network School on this Southeast Asian island, with future campuses planned for Dubai, Tokyo, and Miami. 'We're looking for remote workers, digital creators, personal trainers, developers — people who want to earn crypto, build things, burn calories, and have fun,' he said in a recruitment post.
NDTV
a day ago
- Business
- NDTV
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: View this post on Instagram 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.
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Watch: Indian-American entrepreneur buys island near Singapore using Bitcoin to build a nation for techies, startup founders
Indian-American entrepreneur and investor Balaji Srinivasan has launched an educational program on a private island near Singapore. The initiative is part of his broader effort to create a decentralised, digital-first nation known as a 'Network State.' The project was revealed through a post on Instagram by user Nick Peterson, who is participating in the three-month 'Network School' started by Srinivasan. Peterson described the location as a private island, which will serve as a testing ground for Srinivasan's long-term vision. Who is Balaji Srinivasan? Balaji Srinivasan is an Indian-origin technology entrepreneur and investor. He has co-founded Counsyl, served as the Chief Technology Officer of Coinbase , and was a General Partner at the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. Born to physician parents who migrated from Tamil Nadu to the United States, Srinivasan holds BS, MS, and PhD degrees in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nick Peterson (@nickpeterson17) What is the Network State vision? Srinivasan is working to build what he calls a 'Network State' — a global, digital-first, decentralized community made up of like-minded individuals. These communities are built around shared goals and values, often focusing on innovation, cryptocurrency, individual liberty, and technological advancement. According to Srinivasan, the goal is to 'revitalize democracy for the internet era' and to promote 'truth, health, and prosperity' through personal, physical, and professional growth. Values at the core of the initiative include longevity, decentralisation, and education. Live Events About the Network School The Network School was launched in September 2024. It is designed as a three-month, in-person program for startup founders and fitness-focused individuals. The school acts as a live pilot for Srinivasan's broader ambition to develop network states that begin online and evolve into real-world, self-governing communities. The location of the island In a Substack post published in August 2024, Srinivasan revealed that he had acquired an island near Singapore to launch the 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,' said Srinivasan. He described the school as a place to develop what he referred to as the 'dark talent of the world.' What comes next? The Network School is seen as the first step toward building a physical base for Srinivasan's network state vision. The success of this pilot program may determine how and where such digital communities take shape in the future. Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Indian-American entrepreneur buys island to build new nation for tech, first look revealed
Balaji Srinivasan ( Instagram user Nick Peterson has shared a glimpse of a private island where Indian-American entrepreneur Balaji Srinivasan plans to found a future tech nation. Peterson is currently attending Srinivasan's Network School, a three-month, in-person program designed for aspiring startup founders and fitness enthusiasts. Who is Balaji Srinivasan? Balaji Srinivasan is an Indian-origin entrepreneur and investor, and has played key roles in several major tech ventures. He co-founded Counsyl, then went on to serve as the chief technology officer at Coinbase, and was a general partner at the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. Srinivasan was born to physician parents who migrated from Tamil Nadu to the United States. He earned his BS, MS, and PhD in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University. Srinivasan's vision for a new country Balaji Srinivasan envisions a new kind of nation called a 'Network State'- a digital-first, decentralized, and globally dispersed community that eventually seeks recognition in the physical world. A kind of state with like-minded individuals united by shared aspirations and a set of values, often centered around technology, cryptocurrency, individual freedom, and innovation. Its mission is to 'revitalize democracy for the internet era' and promote truth, health, and prosperity by helping participants grow personally, physically, and professionally. In this instance, the community's core values include longevity, decentralization, and education. What is the school about? Launched in September 2024 by The Network State author Srinivasan, the Network School is a three-month immersive educational program. It acts as a testing ground for his larger ambition, the creation of 'network states,' decentralized, digital-first communities that originate online and ultimately aim to establish physical territory and self-governance. Where is the Island located? In August 2024, Balaji Srinivasan revealed in a Substack post that he had acquired an island and was launching a new school near Singapore aimed at nurturing what he called the 'dark talent of the world.' '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,' said the Indian-origin entrepreneur.
