Ultra-rich stockpile bunkers and eye private cities to survive doomsday
Silicon Valley billionaires and other ultra-wealthy figures are increasingly investing in private shelters, bunkers and even autonomous city projects to prepare for potential global catastrophes. Some tech moguls are also pursuing territories free from state law.
Estonian commentator Harri Tiido's latest column examines how the world's wealthiest individuals are increasingly planning refuges against possible catastrophe, while also seeking ways to escape state oversight.
Failed independent-city projects
One notable attempt was the California Forever project, which became public in 2023 after investors bought up large tracts of land near Travis Air Force Base, prompting U.S. security services to probe a possible Chinese connection. The planned settlement was meant to house around 400,000 residents and serve as a testing ground for new forms of governance. The project stalled once local residents objected over impacts on agriculture and the river delta ecosystem, though its leader reportedly still hopes to turn the land into a hub for shipbuilding, arms manufacturing and technology.
Similar ideas for autonomous cities have reportedly circulated among figures in Donald Trump's administration, including in connection with Greenland and the Gaza Strip. Tech entrepreneurs, including Peter Thiel, have also floated plans for ocean-based communities operating under their own rules.
A growing bunker industry
Concerns about global catastrophe have spawned an entire industry offering bunker construction, ranging from tens of thousands of dollars for a basic home bunker to virtually unlimited sums for luxury refuges. Several such facilities already exist worldwide, including Elysium in New Zealand, Citadel in France, the Quantum Ark in Japan, the Survival Condo built into a former missile base in Kansas, Oppidum in the Czech Republic, and Vivos Europa One in Germany.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is building a complex on Hawaii's Kauai island reportedly costing over $400 million, with the underground bunker alone accounting for $100 million. Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison bought 98 percent of Hawaii's Lanai island in 2012, and similar refuges are said to belong to Bill Gates and others.
Argentina draws interest
Argentina has attracted particular attention, based on the idea that the southern hemisphere would be better shielded from the effects of nuclear war. Peter Thiel bought property in Buenos Aires in April for $16 million. Entrepreneur Martin Varsavsky is developing a project called Campo Wamani in Mendoza province, envisioning a fully self-sufficient environment powered by solar energy, supplied by mountain spring water, with its own airfield and a data center to store artificial intelligence models in case of catastrophe.
