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A Tech Founder Wanted to Start a New Country. An Actual Country Got in the Way

A Tech Founder Wanted to Start a New Country. An Actual Country Got in the Way

Tech WSJ
Balaji Srinivasan's attempt to build a tech-centric 'network city' in Malaysia has collapsed due to licensing disputes, prompting an immediate relocation to Kazakhstan.
What: After two years of developing a private tech community in Malaysia featuring co-working spaces and customized nutrition plans, Balaji Srinivasan shut down the project following government intervention and signed a new agreement to start a campus in Kazakhstan.
Why it matters: This highlights the friction between the 'sovereign tech community' movement and established national jurisdictions, proving that geographic and legal reality often overrides digital idealism.
Decoder
  • Network city: A concept proposed by Balaji Srinivasan where communities form online first, then move to a physical location to build a society governed by shared technological and ideological values.
Original article

Balaji Srinivasan, a tech founder, said that he believed the US was descending into anarchy, so he decided to build a new city from scratch. He started by creating a tech community in Malaysia, setting up a campus with co-working spaces, a high-end gym, and meals designed by longevity guru Bryan Johnson. Two years in, his vision is now colliding with reality. The project has been shut down over licensing issues. Within hours of the government announcement, Srinivasan signed an agreement to open a campus in Kazakhstan.

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