Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Free Cities Conference, held in the stunning Empire Hall in Prague’s city center, a city whose historic architectural beauty left a lasting impression, especially since it was my first visit. The event gathered more than 400 participants from over 50 countries, all exploring ambitious new models for governance and economic liberty.
A central theme was the remarkable progress of Próspera and Ciudad Morazán, two standout free cities in Honduras operating under ZEDE laws. They are now recognized as the flagship examples of regulatory innovation, economic freedom, and autonomy in the movement, that despite current political setbacks, we’re able to persevere and prosper (pun intended).
Panels and presentations delved into community experiences, business climates, and the risks and rewards of self-determined governance.
Seasteading also made waves, sparking lively debates about the future of floating autonomous communities and their role in expanding the frontiers of personal freedom.
This year’s event went beyond Central American case studies and brought to light fresh experiments:
CryptoCity, Isla Margarita (Venezuela): This bold urban initiative, built as a self-governing private city on the Venezuelan island of Margarita, aims to foster open innovation through an economic model centered on blockchain and digital currencies. The community is growing rapidly within Venezuela’s new Special Economic Zone regime, creating opportunity for crypto natives and global founders alike.
Tools for the Commons: Hugo unveiled this modular digital platform, with its first deployment in Zanzibar and ambitious expansion plans to Doha, Rio de Janeiro, Egypt, and beyond. The goal: to become the “operating system” for Special Economic Zones, serving the same role for network states as Palantir has for critical industries in the US, by offering essential digital tools and AI-powered governance primitives.
One of my favorite personal encounters was with Iván Dubois, advisor to Argentine President Javier Milei. Iván shared compelling statistics illustrating how Argentina’s shift toward libertarian governance, marked by reduced state spending, stricter monetary policy, and abolition of fiscal deficits, is already resulting in concrete improvements in economic stability and people’s daily lives.
Another memorable session came from futurist and longevity advocate José Luis Cordeiro, who spoke about “death to death” and introduced the Immortalis project, a vision for a Free City dedicated to advancing radical life extension technologies. Cordeiro shared thought-provoking ideas about how developments in biotechnology and AI could make biological immortality possible in our lifetimes, stirring lively debate on what such advancements might mean for society and personal freedom.
As the conference wrapped up, a notable pattern emerged: most of these bold experiments, be it Próspera, Ciudad Morazán, CryptoCity, or the SEZs served by Tools for the Commons, are thriving in Latin America, Africa, or Southeast Asia. The environment in these regions combines entrepreneurial energy with regulatory flexibility, creating fertile ground for pioneering new models. Yet it’s impossible to ignore the lack of similar ventures in Europe. For the ecosystem to reach its full potential, bridging that gap should become a priority for next-generation founders and city-builders.
In a fitting end to a truly inspiring gathering, the announcement that next year’s Free Cities Conference will be hosted in Próspera, Roatán, Honduras, underscored a growing confidence in these frontier models of autonomous community building. For anyone interested in the intersection of governance, technology, and freedom, the Free Cities movement has never been more vibrant or more global.
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