Balaji Srinivasan via Bloomberg; Background image: Balaji Srinivasan, an Indian-American entrepreneur and co-founder of the genetic testing company Counsyl Inc. and former CTO of Coinbase, has acquired a private island near Singapore to bring his vision of a “Network State” to life. His concept, detailed in his book “The Network State,” involves creating a decentralized, digital-first nation for founders, technologists, and innovators. This nation would start as online communities united by shared values, eventually acquiring physical territory and seeking global recognition as a sovereign entity.
Instagram user Nick Peterson, a current participant in the program, gave a virtual tour of the island, describing it as “an oasis for gym rats and startup founders.” According to him, the daily routine includes morning gym sessions followed by classes on AI, technology, and other subjects, showcasing the island’s unique blend of fitness and innovation.
“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.
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Balaji Srinivasan’s Network School, launched in September 2024, is a prototype for his vision of a Network State. The three-month residential program brings together aspiring startup founders and fitness enthusiasts on a private island near Singapore, serving as a living experiment for his concept.
The program’s 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.” Ultimately, Srinivasan aims to establish a decentralized, digital-first nation for technologists and innovators, known as a “Network State”.
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Balaji Srinivasan announced the acquisition of a private island near Singapore, sharing the news 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.” This milestone marks a significant step towards realizing his vision of a Network State.
At the Network School, participants engage in a range of activities designed to foster holistic growth. These include gym sessions to promote physical fitness, as well as classes on cutting-edge topics such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and entrepreneurship. The program encourages innovation and entrepreneurship, aiming to drive personal, physical, and professional development among its attendees.
Balaji Srinivasan is on the lookout for a unique group of individuals, describing them as “dark talent.” As he puts it, “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.”
Balaji S. Srinivasan is a renowned American entrepreneur, investor, and author with a strong background in technology and cryptocurrency. Born on May 24, 1980, to Indian parents from Tamil Nadu, he grew up on Long Island, New York.
Srinivasan is a highly educated individual, holding multiple degrees from Stanford University, including BS, MS, and PhD in Electrical Engineering, as well as an MS in Chemical Engineering. He has co-founded several successful companies, including Counsyl, a genetic testing company acquired by Myriad Genetics for $375 million, and 21 Inc. (later Earn.com), a Bitcoin-related startup acquired by Coinbase, where he served as Chief Technology Officer from 2018 to 2019.
Balaji Srinivasan has held various notable roles, including serving as a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz from 2013 to 2018. He has also co-founded several companies, such as Teleport, which was acquired by Topia, and Coin Centre. As an early investor, Srinivasan has backed numerous tech and crypto ventures, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Alchemy, and OpenSea. Additionally, he is the author of “The Network State: How to Start a New Country” (2022), a book that advocates for digital communities to form autonomous, tech-driven societies.
In 2024, Balaji Srinivasan launched The Network School in Malaysia, a project aimed at exploring his ideas on decentralized, tech-driven communities. He plans to expand the concept globally, with locations slated for Dubai, Tokyo, and Miami.
Srinivasan’s views on governance and decentralization have sparked intense debate, with some critics drawing comparisons to modern colonialism. Despite the controversy, he remains active on platforms like X and Substack, where he shares his philosophy on technology, governance, and wealth creation, continuing to shape the discussion around his vision for the future.
Editor’s Note
Balaji is a prominent Silicon Valley investor who also invested in Koo, the Indian microblogging platform similar to Twitter (Now called ‘X’) and received a word of praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The platform got shut down last year in July.
Srinivasan’s incredible stint of acquiring a private island resembles to that of Richard Branson’s, the English business magnate who purchased Necker Island in 1978, just eight years after starting Virgin Group, i.e., 1970. Branson was only 28 at that time. He bought the 74-acre island for $180,000. It took three years and some $10 million to turn it into a private island retreat.
Though the exact date of Balaji’s acquisition of the island is not known, it was somewhere in August 2024, when he himself made the announcement through his X handle.
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