Techno Utopia in Malaysia: Forest City’s New Identity
Balaji Srinivasan’s Network School is giving Forest City a new purpose, reshaping it into a bold Techno Utopia in Malaysia where innovators and entrepreneurs test the future of societies built on crypto and shared values.
A bold experiment in society, crypto, and community
In Malaysia’s Forest City, a new story is unfolding. Once promoted as a $100 billion luxury real estate project, the island city has transformed into the center of a bold experiment. Entrepreneurs, crypto enthusiasts, and students are now working together to create what some describe as a real-world Techno Utopia in Malaysia.
The project is led by Balaji Srinivasan, former Coinbase executive and author of The Network State. His initiative, called the Network School, brings together innovators who want to build new societies powered by technology, crypto, and shared values.
From empty towers to crypto classrooms
Forest City was designed to house hundreds of thousands. Yet, years later, only a small population lives there. However, low rent, tax-free benefits, and easy access to Singapore have made it attractive to digital pioneers.
Today, nearly 400 students live and learn inside the city. They pay about $1,500 a month, which covers food, housing, and training. Their days start with coding sessions and product-building workshops. In the afternoon, they shift to discussions on how new societies could function. By evening, they attend lectures that dive into decentralization and digital governance.
This shift has turned a struggling megaproject into a vibrant hub for innovation. What was once a ghost city now hosts the foundations of a Techno Utopia in Malaysia.
A lifestyle built around building
Inside the Network School, life blends technology with culture. Students train in coding during the day, and at night they engage in seminars on economics and politics. Fitness sessions, protein-rich meals, and wellness routines inspired by Silicon Valley give the project its own lifestyle model.
“Everyone here is focused on building something,” said Prad Nukala, a participant and founder of crypto startup Sonr. “We’re all improving, not just as founders, but as people.”
For many students, the community matters as much as the coursework. The school has become a network for startups, investors, and creators who want to test bold ideas.
Vision of a new society
Srinivasan makes his vision clear: future communities will form not around geography, but around shared values and technologies. His book The Network State argues that these groups could one day act like independent nations.
At the Network School, this theory is being put to the test. Srinivasan believes young people may soon choose societies the way they currently choose universities. This vision of a Techno Utopia in Malaysia is about giving innovators the freedom to create and live outside traditional systems.
Still, critics warn of challenges. Some experts believe that such projects risk becoming elitist and detached from broader society.
Expansion beyond Malaysia
Despite criticism, the Network School is growing. Plans are underway for a permanent campus in Forest City to host thousands of technologists. Expansion into other global hubs such as Miami, Dubai, and Tokyo is also being discussed.
Other pioneers are taking inspiration. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has already launched a smaller crypto community in Montenegro, influenced by Srinivasan’s vision.
Forest City’s revival
For Malaysia’s Johor state, this new purpose is welcome. “With the Network School now, we’re seeing multiple nationalities in Forest City,” said Lee Ting Han, Johor’s executive councilor for investments. “It has brought fresh energy to the region.”
Forest City may never become the glittering $100 billion luxury destination once imagined. But as the heart of a Techno Utopia in Malaysia, it has gained a new identity — one that could shape the future of digital communities worldwide.
