Former Binance Australia chief Jeff Yew is exploring plans for a new technology campus at Forest City focused on local and global talent.
Bloomberg reported that Yew has begun early talks with Balaji Srinivasan’s team about the potential project.
The proposal follows the closure of Network School, the technology community founded by former Coinbase chief technology officer Srinivasan.
The Iskandar Puteri City Council revoked its business and advertising licences and ordered operations to stop from 22 July over breaches of local licensing requirements.
The scrutiny began after allegations that Israeli nationals were among the participants. An immigration inspection subsequently found that 266 foreign participants held valid travel documents, while other compliance checks continued.
Yew Pitches a Malaysia Focused Tech Campus
Yew wants the project to give Malaysian founders a larger role while still drawing talent from abroad.
He has floated local scholarships as part of the plan and sees the campus supporting Johor’s ambitions in areas including AI, blockchain and computing.
Yew is chief executive of Monochrome Asset Management, the investment manager of an Australian-listed Bitcoin ETF. No final decision on the Forest City project has been made.
Forest City is a US$100 billion development in Johor that has struggled to reach its original scale as developer Country Garden faced financial difficulties.
Malaysia is also seeking to draw investment to Forest City through its Special Financial Zone.
The Securities Commission Malaysia is targeting RM2 billion in family office assets under management by the end of 2026.
Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Malaysia, based on images by Forest City and Frolopiaton Palm via Magnific
