\u201cWisdom is brought about by need. I think there’s a need,\u201d said billionaire tech entrepreneur John Marshall.<\/p>\n
Marshall is among a growing group of ultra-wealthy founders who, in recent years, have taken on a new role in South Florida: private school creators.<\/p>\n
Marshall moved to Miami Beach in 2014 and later became a father of two daughters. When one turned 4, he began rethinking traditional education. \u201cThe more we peeled back what we wanted in a school, the more we thought we should do our own,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
That idea led to the launch of BaseCamp305<\/a>.<\/p>\n The school opened in 2019 and, three years later, secured a permanent location near Collins Avenue and 23rd Street in Miami Beach. Today, it serves about 50 students and promotes a curriculum centered on entrepreneurship, project-based learning and presentations. Technology is a core component, with students regularly working with robots and 3D printers.<\/p>\n BaseCamp305 is part of a broader trend of privately funded school ventures in South Florida. In Palm Beach, developer Jeff Greene founded The Greene School<\/a>. Also in Palm Beach County, developer Stephen Ross plans to open Wingrove Academy<\/a> for the 2028 school year. Earlier this year, NBC6 reported that WeWork co-founder Adam Neumann <\/a>is planning a private Jewish school in El Portal.<\/p>\n For founders like Marshall, the motivation is not primarily financial. Tuition at BaseCamp305 is about $30,000 annually, but he points to a lack of diverse educational options as the driving force.<\/p>\n \u201cEntrepreneurs are coming in with a view of where the world is going,\u201d Marshall said. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing wrong with adding more dynamics. When you\u2019re building schools, you want the water level to rise for everybody.\u201d<\/p>\n