California, USA2024
Edge City
A "society incubator" dedicated to advancing human flourishing. Edge hosts monthlong pop-up villages where people at the frontiers of technology, science, and culture live and work together. Each village brings together a few hundred residents to live, learn, and build side by side. Shared meals, daily workouts, and co-creation.
What is Edge City?
Founded by Timour Kosters and Janine Leger, Edge City operates as a society incubator that hosts month-long pop-up villages worldwide.
Core Principles
Edge City emphasizes four core principles:
- Building and co-creating where everyone contributes.
- Multidisciplinary connections for breakthroughs.
- Healthy by default environments with meals and workouts.
- Multigenerational inclusion for families and elders.
What kind of people attend Edge City’s villages?
High-agency builders at the forefront of technology, science, and societal governance. Eager minds that excel within innovative, interdisciplinary environments. Founders, scientists, urban planners, researchers, engineers, philosophers, storytellers.
Families with kids and elders are also welcome at Edge City's villages.
Past attendees include Vitalik Buterin, Grimes, and Laura Deming.
History
Edge City emerged from the Zuzalu movement, with the goal of creating a network city.
Inspired by the pioneer pop-up city in Montenegro, Edge City was launched in 2024 at Edge City Denver. That year, it hosted its first pop-up villages - Edge Esmeralda (California) and Edge City Lanna (Chiang Mai).
In 2025, apart from the recurring Edge Esmeralda, it expanded to South Africa, Bhutan, and Argentina.
For 2026, Edge Esmeralda returns for its third edition, running from May 30 to June 27.
Edge City’s co-founder Janine Leger was a core organizer at Zuzalu Montenegro.
Locations
Edge City’s pop-up villages have surfaced across 3 continents:
Apart from pop-up villages, Edge City also organizes unconferences and expeditions, aiming at exploring specific topics and evaluating potential locations for future villages.
- Edge City Denver, 2024
- Edge City Austin, 2025
- Edge City South Africa, 2025
- Edge City Bhutan, 2025
Duration
The typical Edge City pop-up village runs for 1 to 2 months, grouping approximately 1,000 people with 200-300 full-time residents.
Expeditions and unconferences are usually shorter (1 week), as they serve as scouting journeys for future villages.
Pricing
Ticket prices for Edge City's pop-up villages range from $1,000 to $3,000, depending on location, duration of stay, timing of booking, and ticket type.
Tickets include:
- Full programming access. Talks, hackathons, themed weeks, and spontaneous sessions.
- Shared spaces. Co-working, gym/fitness environments, social venues.
- Community rhythm. Group meals, workouts, and daily coordination tools.
- Network effects. Direct access to builders, funders, and collaborators.
Housing, meals, personal travel are not included.
Edge City usually runs early bird ticket campaigns.
Amenities
Amenities in Edge City’s pop-up villages typically feature:
- Gym.
- Fitness classes (yoga, HIIT, strength training).
- Co-working spaces.
- High-speed WiFi.
- Maker and creative spaces.
- Social areas and venues.
- Talks, panels, and hackathons.
Reviews
" I learned a lot from my time there. " Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum Co-Founder
Edge City did an excellent job integrating diverse participants from all kinds of background: technical and non-technical, crypto, biotech and culture, young and old. I learned a lot from my time there.
" I’ll remember June 2024 in Healdsburg as anything but status quo. " Simone Wilson, Writer and Edge Esmeralda Attendee
I’m going to miss them. If Edge Esmeralda is a crypto cult, it’s a super chill one. If it’s a scam, I for one got my money’s worth.
" All it took was the opening ceremony, where I decided I'd be staying for the full month. " Jack Mielke, Pop-up Villages Attendee
Days were fun - a “choose your own adventure” - with a collaborative calendar to tie things together. Mornings had many fun, grounding options: yoga, runs, sauna (home of countless epic convos), cold plunge, nice breakfast w/ friends, and more.
How can you join Edge City?
Apply for a spot in one of their expeditions or pop-up villages, like the recurring Edge Esmeralda.
- Fill out a form with basic info (name, age, organization, etc.).
- Optionally record a quick video answering some basic questions.
Get selected for one of their Grant & Fellowships programs.
- When filling out the application for a pop-up village:
- Check the box “Are you interested in applying for a scholarship?”
- Share a 60s video explaining why you are doing it.
- Wait for them to get back to you via email.
Show interest by completing the contributor form.
- Fill out a simple form with basic details and share how would you like to contribute or get involved.
Contact Edge City directly at info@edgecity.live.
FAQs
What is the goal of Edge City?
To build a global network city of pop-up and permanent villages that prototype new ways of living, working, and governing. And then open-source the playbook for thousands of experiments worldwide. See the full roadmap.
Who is Edge City for?
Curious, like-minded, and high-agency people building towards a brighter future. Founders, scientists, engineers, philosophers, artists, and beyond. Families with kids and elders.
What kind of events can I expect at Edge City's villages?
Workshops exploring frontiers: health protocols, smart cities, governance. Talks from industry leaders. Hands-on hackathons, community workouts, and spontaneous sessions.
Where do people stay?
Participants typically book their own accommodation (Airbnbs, Hotels, etc.) near the main venues (where most events take place). Some people decide to stay solo, but you can also organize a place and stay with friends/fellow attendees.
What’s included in a ticket?
Tickets generally cover access to programming (talks, workshops, unconferences), co-working space, wellness activities, and community events. Housing, meals, and travelling are not included.
How long do villages last?
Most pop-up villages run for about a month. Participants can stay for days, weeks, or the full month. Ticket prices vary accordingly.
Can families and kids attend Edge City's villages?
Yes. Edge City explicitly welcomes multigenerational communities, often designing the environment and programming so that it's compatible with families and kids.