Balaji Srinivasan’s Network School aims to prototype a ‘network state’ near Singapore
Instagram user Nick Peterson recently shared a virtual tour of a private island that could one day become the foundation of a new nation envisioned by Indian-American investor and entrepreneur Balaji Srinivasan. The island, located near Singapore, is home to the Network School—a live-in retreat designed for startup founders and fitness enthusiasts, reported hindustantimes.com.
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The Network School, launched in September 2024, is Srinivasan’s pilot project for a much larger idea: the network state
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The concept imagines decentralized, internet-native communities that begin online and eventually acquire land, self-governance, and diplomatic recognition
Srinivasan, a Stanford-educated former CTO of Coinbase and partner at Andreessen Horowitz, outlined the island plan in an August 2024 Substack post: “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.”
The school’s structure is centered on four principles: Learn, Burn, Earn, and Fun. Students attend sessions on AI, tech, and entrepreneurship, starting their day with gym workouts and ending with collaborative projects. The curriculum and culture emphasize personal growth, physical fitness, and innovation.
According to Peterson, a participant, “This place is an oasis for gym rats and startup founders… We’re kind of testing what creating a new nation would feel like.”
Srinivasan’s long-term vision is to build a network state where members are aligned around values like decentralisation, health, wealth creation, and digital governance—a future-facing society that redefines citizenship and sovereignty for the internet era.
