This Former Coinbase CTO Spent Millions Building a Utopia for Tech Founders. Then Malaysia Shut It Down.
Balaji Srinivasan left Silicon Valley to create an alternative tech community. Residents complained of moldy rooms and not enough women.
Balaji Srinivasan believes America is heading toward collapse. So he set out to build his own country instead. The former Coinbase CTO spent two years running the Network School in a ghost city in Malaysia, where founders paid $1,500 a month for room, board and classes on a campus that also included a high-end gym and meals designed by longevity guru Bryan Johnson, according to the Wall Street Journal. The plan called for online communities to pool resources and eventually declare sovereignty.
But residents complained of moldy rooms, no nightlife and a lack of women. An Instagram post claiming the school housed Israeli citizens, which Malaysia restricts without special permission, triggered a government investigation. Officials found no foul play, but shut the project down anyway over separate licensing issues.
Srinivasan hasn’t slowed down. Hours later, he posted a video signing a deal to open a new campus in Kazakhstan.
I am pleased to announce that a memorandum of understanding has been signed between the Republic of Kazakhstan and Network School.
— Balaji (@balajis) July 21, 2026
Our new campus will become a haven for global techno-optimism, with expedited visas, streamlined redomiciliation, and active recruitment of talent. pic.twitter.com/R20i8UAYoc
Balaji Srinivasan believes America is heading toward collapse. So he set out to build his own country instead. The former Coinbase CTO spent two years running the Network School in a ghost city in Malaysia, where founders paid $1,500 a month for room, board and classes on a campus that also included a high-end gym and meals designed by longevity guru Bryan Johnson, according to the Wall Street Journal. The plan called for online communities to pool resources and eventually declare sovereignty.
But residents complained of moldy rooms, no nightlife and a lack of women. An Instagram post claiming the school housed Israeli citizens, which Malaysia restricts without special permission, triggered a government investigation. Officials found no foul play, but shut the project down anyway over separate licensing issues.
Srinivasan hasn’t slowed down. Hours later, he posted a video signing a deal to open a new campus in Kazakhstan.
I am pleased to announce that a memorandum of understanding has been signed between the Republic of Kazakhstan and Network School.
— Balaji (@balajis) July 21, 2026
Our new campus will become a haven for global techno-optimism, with expedited visas, streamlined redomiciliation, and active recruitment of talent. pic.twitter.com/R20i8UAYoc
