Malaysia Closes Balaji Srinivasan’s Network School Amid Licensing Issues

The Malaysian government has ordered the shutdown of Balaji Srinivasan’s Network School, a startup-centric community described as ‘a frontier community for techno-optimists.’ The initiative emerged from Srinivasan’s vision to build a new society through his seven-stage plan outlined in ‘The Network State,’ which he claimed aimed to counter perceived U.S. decline. Located in an abandoned Malaysian hotel, the school combined elements of a tech incubator and self-improvement retreat but faced criticism for poor living conditions, lack of diversity, and limited nightlife. Srinivasan, who renounced his American citizenship in 2023, defended the project against media scrutiny, calling it a ‘hit piece.’ While the Malaysian campus faces closure due to licensing issues, he announced plans for a new campus in Kazakhstan. The move highlights tensions between experimental social models and regulatory frameworks.