A tech community with big ambitions just put Uruguay on the map in a major way.
Praxis, the U.S.-based group that calls itself a “digital nation,” announced this week that it has chosen the South American country as the home for its first real-world city project. The plan: pour $1 billion into a waterfront development over the next three years, with the first residents expected to arrive in mid-2027.
The project will launch inside +Colonia, an existing urban development next to the historic city of Colonia del Sacramento, right on the RĂo de la Plata across from Buenos Aires. Praxis is framing the whole thing as a place designed for life after artificial general intelligence changes everything — work, wealth, and why people choose to live where they do.
“AGI could create wealth on a scale the world has never seen. We want to turn some of that wealth into places and institutions worthy of it,” said Dryden Brown, the 30-year-old co-founder and CEO of Praxis. “Every frontier needs pioneers willing to build. We want to bring that spirit to the next era of human civilization.”
Brown’s group isn’t starting completely from zero. +Colonia is already under construction, led by Argentine entrepreneur Eduardo Bastitta. The site covers more than 500 hectares of waterfront land and already has buildings rising, units sold, and serious local momentum. Praxis is taking a sizable chunk of the first phase — roughly 20 percent of the planned buildable area — and plans to fill it with high-end residences, hospitality, studios, and cultural spaces.
The $1 billion figure is ambitious, and much of it is expected to come from Praxis’s own community of around 150,000 members. About 2,700 of them have already signaled interest in moving and investing. Early arrivals will likely settle into existing +Colonia buildings while the rest of the neighborhood takes shape around them. Brown himself has said he plans to relocate to Uruguay by the end of this year.
The vision goes beyond real estate. Praxis wants a share of home sales to fund artists, residencies, and cultural programs, with the idea that the people who make a place feel alive should be able to afford to live there. Official concept images lean toward elegant waterfront living — colonnades, courtyards, natural materials, and views of the river. Brown has previously talked about architecture that mixes gothic elements with space-age futurism.
Uruguay was chosen for its stability, natural beauty, and the chance to build alongside an established local partner instead of starting in the middle of nowhere. The location sits roughly 50 minutes by ferry from central Buenos Aires, making it an easy hop for people who want South American lifestyle with strong institutions and open space.
Whether the full $1 billion materializes on schedule remains to be seen — these kinds of projects always face the gap between announcement and delivery. But for now, Praxis has locked in a real place, a clear timeline, and a bold cultural pitch. In a year when tech money is still looking for the next frontier, a waterfront town in Uruguay just became one of the most interesting addresses on the map.
