.jpg)
51 minutes ago
2
Article content
(Bloomberg) — Serial tech investor Balaji Srinivasan is attempting to forge closer ties to politicians in Malaysia, wooing them with a showcase of his startup school project and calling for policies that would support it.
THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
- Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.
- Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.
- Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.
- National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.
- Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.
SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
- Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.
- Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.
- Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.
- National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.
- Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.
REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
- Access articles from across Canada with one account.
- Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.
- Enjoy additional articles per month.
- Get email updates from your favourite authors.
THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
- Access articles from across Canada with one account
- Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments
- Enjoy additional articles per month
- Get email updates from your favourite authors
Sign In or Create an Account
or
Article content
According to people present at closed door meetings last month, the former Coinbase Global Inc. executive asked officials including Minister of Digital Gobind Singh Deo to consider a tighter-knit relationship between the government and his Network School, which he’s positioned as a means to bring world-class tech talent to the Southeast Asian nation.
Article content
Article content
Article content
Srinivasan also presented a remodeled prototype of Malaysia’s visa application platform and floated the idea of fast-track visas for Network School residents that would permit longer stays than tourist passes allow, said the people, who asked not to be identified because some details of the meetings were private.
Article content
By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
Article content
“The discussions were broadly around digital economy opportunities, AI, emerging technologies, digital finance and cross-border ecosystem development,” said Puan Chan Cheong, co-founder of Aurion Group, an investment advisory firm in Malaysia that builds AI-powered financial intelligence systems. He attended the meetings and added they were “constructive and exploratory in nature.”
Article content
Crypto has become a powerful lobbying force in recent years. The industry raised hundreds of millions of dollars to help US President Donald Trump and crypto-friendly congressional candidates get elected in 2024. In April, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage was accused of breaking parliamentary rules after he acknowledged receiving a large private payment from crypto investor Christopher Harborne.
Article content
Article content
Launched by Srinivasan in 2024, the Network School is an ambitious bid to bring the former Coinbase chief technology officer’s ideas to life. In his 2022 book, The Network State: How To Start a New Country, Srinivasan describes communities capable of crowdfunding territory around the world and eventually gaining “diplomatic recognition from pre-existing states.”
Article content
A failed Chinese real estate development called Forest City, the reclaimed island in the Malaysian state of Johor, has become Srinivasan’s ground zero, luring hundreds of tech entrepreneurs to live and work together.
Article content
On April 17, the date of the meetings, Gobind visited the site and was pictured shaking hands with a robot. He also posed alongside Srinivasan for photos and listened to presentations from crypto developers, including teams from Base, a division of Coinbase, and another group focused on Solana, a blockchain.
Article content
It appeared Gobind initially came away impressed. “What I saw reaffirmed Malaysia’s position as a rising destination for global tech talent,” he wrote in a social media post shortly after the visit, which featured pictures of him touring the school’s facilities, including its state-of-the-art gym.
English (US)