Zelar City Transforms Berlin: A Pop-up Village for Longevity Builders

After the success of the pop-up city experiments at Zuzalu, Vitalia, and Edge Esmeralda it's time for a major EU country to host a new frontier: Zelar, a pop-up village focused on longevity.

Launching in October, Zelar City is a six week event where scientists, entrepreneurs, and forward-thinkers come together to co-work, co-live, and drive innovation toward a world where death is optional. 

The founders, who are true longevity maximalists, are calling on those who share their vision to join. Applications are still open, but spots are going fast, so now’s the time to jump in!

The Zelar City Experience

Each week addresses a big challenge in the longevity space, with top scientists, entrepreneurs, and thinkers leading the way. Guests and residents can stay for the whole six weeks, drop in for a week that interests you, or just visit for a few days.

Everyone at this pop-up city shares a simple common value: life is good, death is bad, and the aim is to make living longer possible, as long as we can stay healthy. Those who come here are great at self-organizing, which is why the schedule is mostly open. This leaves room for spontaneous projects, deep conversations over meals, and true collaboration.

On weekends, formal programming and talks will take place, with summit-like events to dive deeper into key topics. With healthy food and on-site living, you'll be able to focus fully on what really matters.

Zelar isn’t just another conference. It’s an immersive space where participants actively engage in real-world projects, using biohacking tools, collaborating on new initiatives, and accessing mentorship from top experts. It's designed for those eager to turn ideas into action and build the future of longevity.

Zelar City Weekly Schedule:

• Week 1 (Oct 5 - Oct 13): Foundations of Longevity and Translational Research
• Week 2 (Oct 14 - Oct 20): Innovation in LongBio & SynBio
• Week 3 (Oct 21 - Oct 27 ): Decentralized Science (DeSci) and Network States
• Week 4 (Oct 28 - Nov 3): Healthspan Optimization: Geroscience, AI, and Digital Health
• Week 5 (Nov 4 - Nov 10): Future Tech: Cryonics, Replacement, and Radical Longevity
• Week 6 (Nov 11 - Nov 17): Longevity Advocacy, Policy, and the Future of Zelar City 

Network States

Zuzalu, Vitalia, Edge Esmeralda, and now Zelar City are all inspired by Balaji Srinivasan, author of "The Network State." This new type of community blends ideas from social networks, startups, and nation-states. It starts as an online group with shared goals, then comes together offline to build real-world connections and launch new projects. These communities aim to change how societies are built, focusing on shared values and goals instead of using traditional methods like wars or breaking away from existing countries.

Voices from the Community

Victoria Forest, the initiator of Zelar, emphasizes the importance of community in achieving this vision: “Community is cultivated when you take the time to sit down and connect with others. At Zelar, we dedicate 6 weeks to come together around the dinner table to discuss a thriving future without death and the ways to achieve it.”

For longevity entrepreneur Alexey Strygin, Zelar offers a unique opportunity to merge personal passion with collective action: “I feel the best when I am among my longevity tribe and fully immersed in impactful work. Co-living with smart, like-minded people to figure out how we can accelerate the future when aging is no more – what can beat that?”

Laurence Ion, co-creator at VitaDAO, Zuzalu and Vitalia says: “Pop-up cities are a way to bridge the gap between an online community and a new city, giving people a preview of what it’d be like to live together in that location – and it’s been life-changing! The impact of Zuzalu and Vitalia is already noticeable – several dozen companies and initiatives were started by people who met there.”

Who Should Apply?

This is for anyone passionate about life - scientists, entrepreneurs, engineers, creatives, and more. If you believe that we haven’t yet tried hard enough to defeat aging and death, Zelar is where you’ll find your tribe. Here, we’ll build deep, meaningful relationships - ones that could, one day, last forever.

Zelar City will be held in a beautiful Berlin location, offering on-site living, healthy food, and all the amenities you need to stay focused. Applications are still open, but spots are limited. Hurry up to secure your spot.