Technology community Praxis has selected Uruguay for its first large-scale physical development, with plans to mobilise around $1 billion in investment over three years for a new district within the +Colonia urban development near Colonia del Sacramento.
Praxis is backed by Apollo Projects, an investment fund associated with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The organisation has built an online community of more than 150,000 members spanning entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, technologists and creative professionals. Around 2,700 members have expressed interest in relocating to or investing in the Uruguay development.
The proposed project will be located within +Colonia, an existing waterfront development along the Río de la Plata. Rather than constructing an entirely separate city from the ground up, Praxis plans to establish its community as part of the wider development.
The initial Praxis area is expected to cover approximately 350,000 square metres, representing more than 20% of the planned +Colonia urbanisation. Plans include private residences, hospitality infrastructure, a resort and spaces for art, music and other cultural and commercial activities.
The $1 billion figure represents projected investment rather than capital that has already been deployed. The development is expected to progress in stages as land transactions, residential purchases and construction move forward. Local reporting indicates that the majority of units intended for Praxis members have not yet been built.
The first residents are expected to begin arriving around mid-2027. Early members could initially occupy buildings already being developed at +Colonia while the dedicated Praxis neighbourhood takes shape over subsequent years.
Founded by Dryden Brown, Praxis describes itself as a technology-focused community exploring how people could live and organise as artificial intelligence changes work, productivity and economic activity. The Uruguay project will provide the organisation with its first permanent physical base after a roughly two-year international search for a location.
While AI is central to the community's broader vision, the development itself is primarily an urban and residential project rather than a town operated autonomously by artificial intelligence. Praxis is positioning the location as a place where entrepreneurs, technology professionals and creative workers can live and collaborate in an environment shaped by emerging technologies.
The project remains at an early stage, with its investment, construction and land acquisition expected to unfold over several years. If the plans proceed as announced, the arrival of the first residents in 2027 will mark the initial phase of Praxis' transition from an online technology community to a physical development.
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