Network School hits $2B valuation with Astana as its base
What's the deal? Network SchoolDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, an education and technology initiative founded by former Coinbase chief technology officer Balaji Srinivasan, is raising a round at a $2 billion valuation. Polychain Capital is leading, with Andreessen Horowitz, Coinbase, and Srinivasan himself taking part. The round was announced on October 9 at the Network State Conference 2026.
What's the company? Network School combines education programmes, community building, company creation, and placement of professionals into the global labour market. Srinivasan was previously a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz. The $2 billion figure is a fundraising valuation; neither the round size nor the amount secured has been disclosed.
The expansion: The initiative has moved its headquarters to Astana, Kazakhstan, following a July memorandum with the country's Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development. More than 200 people, including the core team, have relocated to a campus at the alem.ai International AI CenterDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →.
Why Kazakhstan? The government is courting international founders and capital to build a local tech base. "Kazakhstan's role is to provide the necessary permits and, in a sense, the platform. Our role is to bring capital, talent and execution," Srinivasan said. He called Astana "the next Dubai, the next Singapore."
What's the endgame? Network School plans an academic institution, developed with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, starting with online learning and a pathway to degree-granting university status. Training will be linked to jobs at Kazakh companies, with further cooperation planned around the crypto-city project in Alatau.
Why now? "We want these communities to take root here, creating highly skilled jobs and opening up global opportunities for people in Kazakhstan," said Zhaslan Madiyev, deputy prime minister and minister of artificial intelligence and digital development. The deal marks a rare high-profile tech venture choosing the Central Asian state as its headquarters.
The signal: Kazakhstan is positioning itself as a crypto and tech hub by tying together education, recruitment, and company formation in one ecosystem. Backing from Polychain, a16z, and Coinbase signals that a state-level bet on relocating talent can draw serious venture capital — and tests whether an entire innovation base can be built from scratch.
Read more: linkedin.com, el.kz
Image credit: Network School
