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In August 2024, former Andreessen Horowitz investor and former Coinbase CTO Balaji Srinivasan announced an approximately 90-day Network School experiment on an island near Singapore. The evidence supports a booked or arranged island venue—not a confirmed purchase of sovereign territory. By 2026, Network School presented itself as a paid startup community in Malaysia near Singapore, advertising accommodation, meals, coworking, fitness and programming for $1,500 a month. It is not an accredited school, independent country or known special jurisdiction.
What happened in 2024?
TechCrunch reported on August 19, 2024, that Srinivasan had “obtained” an island for a residential Network School planned to run for roughly 90 days from late September. The same report described the arrangement as booking out an island, so “bought an island” would overstate what is established. The concept combined cryptocurrency, longevity, digital nomadism and a proposed “technocapitalist college town.” TechCrunch’s account also connected the food program with longevity entrepreneur Bryan Johnson and anticipated talks from technology and business figures.
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Srinivasan is a former a16z investor whose time at the firm ended in 2018, a former Coinbase chief technology officer, and the author of The Network State: How to Start a New Country. His broader project is to test whether online communities can coordinate strongly enough to build physical settlements and eventually seek recognition from existing governments.
What “network state” means—and what it does not mean
In Srinivasan’s formulation, an internet community starts with shared beliefs and coordination, develops a physical presence, acquires property or a settlement, and may ultimately pursue diplomatic or governmental recognition. That is a political-technology theory, not an established legal category.
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| Stage | What it generally describes | Network School evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Online community | Shared culture, membership and digital coordination | Consistent with the project’s technology and founder community |
| Residential or coworking campus | People living, working and attending events at a private site | Current official pages describe this model |
| Private economic zone | A legally created zone with special governmental arrangements | Not established by the reviewed material |
| Charter city or sovereign state | Independent or specially recognized political authority | No evidence of sovereignty or diplomatic recognition |
What Network School looks like now
Current Network School pages describe an in-person “startup society” for remote workers, founders and creators rather than a one-off island course. The advertised package includes:
- Serviced accommodation and meals
- Wi-Fi and coworking space
- 24/7 gym access and fitness classes
- Lectures and workshops
- Content studios and makerspace facilities
- Community and family programming
The application material viewed in August 2026 displayed a price of $1,500 per month. Rates, availability and inclusions can change, so applicants should confirm the current offer directly at ns.com/apply or the alternative application page at ns.com/raunaqness/apply. The site also markets services to startup teams, families and builders in AI, biotech and crypto.
Why calling it a “school” is misleading
“Network School” is the brand name, but the operator’s terms state that entities in the Network School group are not schools, educational institutions or private higher-education institutions under applicable Malaysian, Singaporean or comparable law. The fellowship is described as a private selection and development program, not a course of study that awards educational qualifications.
Applicants should therefore treat the offering as a private residential community, fellowship or founder-development program. It should not be assumed to provide a degree, professional license, academic credit or recognized credential.
Where is the island?
Early coverage used “near Singapore” or “off the coast of Singapore.” More specific current Network School material identifies the campus as being on an island in Malaysia near Singapore, including a job page at ns.com/hashtagweb3/jobs/ns-junior-engineer/apply. At least one application result inconsistently displayed Kazakhstan, so that page should not be treated as reliable location evidence.
The available sources do not establish whether Network School owns the property, leases it, or books facilities from an existing operator. They also do not show special economic-zone status, independent immigration rules, diplomatic recognition or exemption from Malaysian law. Membership is not citizenship, permanent residency or a visa.
Rank #4
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What “longevity” means here
The longevity theme refers to lifestyle and optimization: diet, healthy meals, exercise, cold plunges and routines associated with technology-focused life extension culture. It does not establish that Network School medically extends participants’ lives or provides clinical treatment. Anyone seeking diagnosis, therapy or evidence-based anti-aging medicine needs a licensed healthcare provider, not a residential founder community.
Financial signals and what remains unclear
Network School’s fellowship page advertises $100,000 for 100 fellows over one year, but the available description does not establish whether that figure is a stipend, grant, prize pool, operating budget or another arrangement. Do not assume it is salary or investment capital without reading the applicable agreement: ns.com/fellowship.
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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →The conference page claims more than 8,000 registrations for 2025 and more than 6,000 for 2024. Those are the organization’s own figures, not independently audited attendance counts: ns.com/conference.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to check before paying
- Total cost: Add flights, deposits, taxes, insurance, food or services excluded from the package, and any visa or immigration expenses to the advertised $1,500 monthly rate.
- Immigration: Confirm which Malaysian permission allows your intended stay. A membership contract does not itself grant a visa.
- Legal status: Expect ordinary local law and verify who operates the accommodation, workspace and activities.
- Refunds: The terms say sales are generally final except where applicable law requires another remedy. Read the cancellation provisions before paying.
- Educational expectations: There is no stated accredited degree or qualification.
- Family arrangements: Family services and childcare or education may involve third parties; confirm supervision, prices and liability directly at ns.com/families.
- Community fit: The culture is explicitly oriented toward startups, crypto, technology, creators and personal optimization, not a neutral hotel or conventional university.
- Privacy and publicity: Review the terms and media permissions before appearing in promotional or community content.
How it compares with related experiments
TechCrunch placed Network School alongside Zuzalu, a temporary community in Montenegro associated with Vitalik Buterin and longevity experimentation, and Prospera, a Honduran special economic zone. These examples are not interchangeable: a temporary gathering, a paid campus and a legally established economic zone carry different rights, obligations and government relationships.
Bottom line
Balaji Srinivasan did launch a real, island-based Network School experiment in 2024, but “obtained a private island” should not be read as proof that he bought sovereign territory. The project’s later public presentation is a paid live-work and startup community in Malaysia near Singapore, with a displayed price of $1,500 per month and lifestyle-oriented education and networking. It is not an accredited school, a medically validated longevity program or a new country.
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