Network School brings together crypto, longevity science, and governance in 90-day experiment
NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Indian-American tech entrepreneur Balaji Srinivasan has launched an ambitious new initiative called “Network School” on a private island near Singapore. The 90-day experimental program is designed as a “technocapitalist college town” that brings together innovation, technology, and community-building in a physical setting.
The pilot program, which ran from late 2024 through early 2025, selected 128 participants from over 4,000 applicants spanning more than 80 countries. The island-based campus hosted an immersive curriculum focused on cryptocurrency, longevity science, decentralized governance, artificial intelligence, and entrepreneurship. The goal, Srinivasan said, is to foster a new generation of thinkers and builders aligned with the ideals of the “network state”—a digital-first society with shared values and the potential to gain physical territory.
The concept draws inspiration from Srinivasan’s 2022 book The Network State, which envisions online communities forming self-governing physical jurisdictions. Network School aims to translate these ideas into practice, creating a model for future digital-native societies.
Participants followed a rigorous daily schedule that included lectures, workshops, fitness routines, and communal living. The program featured health and longevity guidance from experts and emphasized personal development alongside technological innovation.
Srinivasan has described the school as a hybrid between a startup incubator, university, and wellness retreat. Attendees could earn cryptocurrency through learning modules and contribute to building early-stage experiments in network governance and decentralized systems.
While the project has garnered praise for its bold vision, it has also drawn criticism for its exclusivity and opaque application process. Some applicants voiced concerns about the lack of transparency around costs and selection criteria. Others have questioned the ideological underpinnings of the program, citing its alignment with libertarian and technocratic philosophies.
Despite the criticisms, Srinivasan is already expanding the project. A second, larger cohort of 256 participants began a year-long program in March 2025, with plans underway to replicate the model in cities such as Dubai, Miami, and Tokyo.
The initiative marks one of the most concrete efforts to date to blend physical community-building with the values of decentralized digital networks. Whether Network School becomes a blueprint for the future or remains an ambitious experiment remains to be seen.
Cover photo: By Kristyuhorton – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia.
