Startup Socieites Summit – Rhodes (2016)

In 2016, the Startup Societies Foundation held a summit in Rhodes, Greece that brought together a mix of libertarians, tech entrepreneurs, and political theorists working on new experimental communities and jurisdictions, including private cities, seasteads, and special economic zones. A central theme was “Exit over Voice,” with many discussions treating the creation of new governance arrangements as an alternative to reforming existing political systems from within.

The program featured speakers such as Andrei Illarionov, Mark Frazier, Derek Magill, and Titus Gebel, covering topics that ranged from decentralized economic policy to contract-based governance models. A major thread across sessions focused on special jurisdictions, especially how to negotiate with sovereign states to establish special economic zones with legal autonomy. Another recurring topic was the early use of blockchain and cryptocurrency for identity, law, and finance in these new communities.

The Summit also operated as a networking hub for active efforts, including projects like Prospera in Honduras and seasteading ventures, alongside other intentional community initiatives, with attendees comparing approaches and constraints across different contexts.

Watch the Full Playlist on YouTube

All the sessions from the Startup Socieites Summit are available on our YouTube channel:



🔗 Rhodes Summit (2016)
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