[operon]

You can buy a small (~2 ha) undeveloped island for as low as 100,000 USD. Bigger ones cost more depending where they are located. However I saw really big islands (~2,200 ha) for about 2M USD in Chile (I think that is cheap considering that a luxury apartment in my city, Florianópolis, can cost way more than that). Current solar energy solutions and biogas production from waste can form a solid base for a sustainable community.

[charlesdm]

2,200 hectares? Do you have a link for that? That can't be right / seems amazingly cheap (also if compared to that small island, too good to be true). If you split $2m between 20 people you get 110ha for $100k. 110ha is massive.

[operon]

Sure, this one in Chile is a good example: http://www.privateislandsonline.com/islands/isla-verdugo

Has lakes, a small marina, but is far way from any big city.

However, with gigabit internet and a bunch of interesting people it can become a very good place.

If I had 2M on hand I would start a community there right now.

[charlesdm]

I have a property developer friend who had the idea to create a sort of luxury village in Southern France where successful people from the arts / entrepreneurs etc could meet. People that had achieved financial independence and weren't "part of the system". Sort of like a safe enclave to exchange ideas. He did well + things were progressing, but during the financial crisis in 2007 banks pulled out (€50m in loans) of the deal and wiped him out.

I honestly wonder how many people would be interested in living like this.

[operon]

I think that there are a good number of people that would be interested, plus some companies.

I can imagine a safe place for innovation and experimentation away from dumb regulations and government interference.

Maybe a good model is trough private capital much like a startup.

How many companies and wealthy individuals would not like to have a safe heaven for work and living where you have plenty of space and intact nature?

If Silicon Valley is at peril with Trump (according to some opinions), why not build a Silicon Island.

[kilroy123]

I would be interested.