Neos Village
A village for a new way of being — and one of the best places to live.
A conscious village of 144 houses¹ on 158 hectares of ancient oak groves, lakes and rolling meadows — one hour from Lisbon. We are building a place where modern life and deep community belong together: regenerative land, shared abundance, and homes¹ designed for a conscious life well lived.
Join Neos Experience September 9–13 to get to know Neos and secure current pricing until your visit
The heart of Neos#
At the heart of Neos, we gather in a circle around the light of source — equal, aligned, each doing our own inner work, held within the same sacred field. Everything we build flows from this.
“To create heaven on earth — a living reality of what human life becomes when consciousness is embodied, the land is sacred, and beauty guides everything we create.”
Neos Village is where this vision becomes daily life — not a theory or a plan, but homes¹, gardens and community taking shape on the land, protected for generations to come.
To catalyse the elevation of human consciousness and its embodiment on earth — through an environment, a culture and a community that make the shift real, lived and transmissible.
Consciousness
We stay tuned to the larger field. We listen, we receive, we respond from a deeper knowing.
Reverence
We move through life with sacred respect — for the land, for each other, for all forms of energy and being.
Embodiment
We do the work of becoming who we truly are. Spirit comes into matter, through us, into the world.
Wholeness
We honour cycles, balance and the unity of opposites — light and dark, masculine and feminine, giving and receiving.
Mastery
We create with beauty and precision. Our work is our dharma — our gift to the world, offered with love.
Why we are building Neos#
Humanity is moving through an existential crisis. Institutions oppress more than they support, technology enslaves more than it frees, and we are lonelier and more disconnected than ever. Neos is our answer.
A new way of being
Neos exists to demonstrate and inspire a life reconnected — with ourselves, with each other in community, and in harmony with nature.
The best of both worlds
A modern life, fully lived — in nature and in community, without giving up comfort, work or ambition. Neos Village is not a cult or a hippie commune. It's a village that makes sense to live healthily and happily.
Self-sufficient by design
Our own food, water and energy — a village largely independent of external inputs.
Conscious Commerce vs. Equity Extraction
A complete, integrated ecosystem — professionally run and impact-driven first. We believe it is unique in the world, and that it will change how we think about living, working and being.
Stewarded by its villagers
Neos Village is self-sovereign and governed by the people who live there — and many villagers will fulfil a purpose in the adjoining Neos Center, carrying its mission into the world.
A world-leading centre for transformation
Neos Center is on an adjoining land across the lake from Neos Village. This will be a globally leading healing, transformation and educational centre empowering tens of thousands of visitors a year in new ways of being.
The Neos difference#
Neos is unlike anything else being built. These are the qualities that set it apart — a place designed for a whole, conscious life.
A village for consciousness
A permanent home¹ for people committed to presence, growth and a more awake way of living — daily life, not a retreat.
Respecting nature
Woven into 1,000 acres of wild Alentejo, with a living organic farm and houses¹ built to ecological standards.
Resilience and independence
Neos grows its own food and generates its own energy and income — built to thrive whatever happens in the wider world.
Community
Real neighbours, shared meals and shared purpose — the connection and belonging modern life has quietly taken away.
Neos Center and Neos Village
A living hub for gathering, wellbeing and transformation, sitting right next to a village of private houses¹.
The inner and outer expression
Personal growth is part of the design — the place you build and the person you become evolve together.
Already operating
The land was acquired in 2025 and the Neos Center has been running ever since, with retreats, a team and a committed community.
The founders' commitment
Vincent and Karen live the vision they are building — Neos is their life's work, not a product.
Private houses¹, shared life
You own your house¹ and private space, while the land, farm and community spaces are held together.
Wise self-governance
No guru and no single authority — decisions emerge through a process designed to surface wisdom, not politics.
A home¹ for every generation
Children grow up free in nature, adults live by their values, and ageing is held with dignity.
A living school for children
A dedicated learning environment where curiosity, nature and real-world skills replace the classroom.
More than real estate
Yours to live in, rent out and pass on — with the deeper return of a community whose value compounds.
Stunning nature and wildlife
Deer, wild boar, foxes and badgers share the land with our own farm animals — and horses arrive in 2027.
Wellbeing > Wellness#
The world is talking about wellness, longevity and wellness real estate. While this is a huge trend, it is not what we are doing at Neos. Neos is about aligned and integrated wellBEING — deep connectedness with ourselves, each other and nature.
Wellness is just one piece of the wellbeing picture we are developing at Neos for mind, body, soul and spirit — from trauma and chronic disease healing to city detoxes to rewilding, expanding your consciousness, and reskilling towards your true life purpose.
We are developing Neos to empower you to become the highest and fully unfolding version of your human self — expressing your true magnificence and unique gift to the world in full health, vitality and joy. The world has not yet seen what we are capable of when we step into our true, innate power and become beings of heart-intelligence, and wholeness.
Nature first — a village that gives more than it takes#
We are in awe of the beauty and richness of this land — ancient Alentejo Montado, rivers, lakes and rolling meadows. Our primary commitment is that Neos improves nature through everything it does. Development has an impact; our work is to make that impact regenerative — more water, more life, more lushness every year.
The Alentejo Montado
A centuries-old landscape of cork oaks, olive groves and open meadows — one of Europe's richest living ecosystems. We build with it, never over it.
Land & soil regeneration
Water-retention landscapes, living soil and replanting bring back moisture and fertility — recharging the springs, the river and the lushness of the whole valley.
Conscious farming
Regenerative, organic growing that builds soil instead of depleting it — demonstrating new ways of working with nature, even on Alentejo's difficult ground.
Conservation & rewilding
Wild stretches of forest, meadow and river left to nature — with habitats, corridors and quiet zones inviting deer, birds and wildlife back into the village.
Our goal is simple to say and demanding to live: this land becomes measurably more alive every year Neos exists — more water, richer soil, deeper biodiversity, and wildlife coming back to stay.
144 houses¹, three clusters, one living land#
Every house¹ belongs to a cluster — a small neighbourhood with its own character, gathered around the village center. Tap a marker on the map to explore each one.
Lakeside Cluster
Houses¹ gathered around the great lake, with morning swims, wildflower-lined paths and long views over the water. Closest access to Neos Center.
Community Cluster
Set along the high ground among the old olive trees, catching the evening sun and looking out over the entire village.
Meadow Cluster
The largest cluster, spread across gentle meadows close to the school, gardens, the river walk and the community centre.
The Evolution of the Village Master Plan#
The village masterplan has been refined through successive iterations with world-class planners and architects — each round sharpening how the village sits in the land, how houses¹ cluster, and how daily life flows.
Pre-workshop booklet
The reading of the land before any design — slope, water, ecology, views and the character of the wider region.
Initial masterplan (2025)
The first conceptual masterplan — laying out the initial vision for the estates and testing how a village could inhabit the land.
This first iteration was produced by an international design firm working to a large-scale, US-style resort model. Especially for the southern Neos Village, it does not reflect our vision as it does not carry the holistic, integrated perspective that Neos is built on — a village that sits gently in the land, preserves what is already there, and grows out of local nature and heritage rather than over it.
Rather than adapt a plan built on the wrong foundations, we chose to set it aside. We are now working closely with Inphinity Design, our Portuguese planning partners, the local authorities and all the relevant entities to develop a master plan that fully embraces our commitment to conserving and improving this land. We look forward to presenting it in Q4 2026.
A globally leading destination for healing, transformation and awakening#
North of the village, across the river and lake, sits Neos Center, a globally leading wellbeing destination for healing, education, and awakening to a new way of being.
Space for 500 guests
Neos Center features a retreat centre, a conference and educational centre, a healing centre, silent wilderness cabins, a 432 Hz-tuned ceremonial dome, a forest maloka event space, and an open-air amphitheatre for concerts.
A mission of awakening
Empowering humanity's awakening through experiences, events and courses on consciousness, regenerative living, building a village — and more.
The economic heart of Neos
The Center gives villagers work opportunities, access to cutting-edge facilities, and a global audience on their doorstep.
Built in stages
Neos Village is the initial development focus; the Center grows alongside it, stage by stage.
Zach Bush, MD spoke at our opening event in July 2025 — the first of many esteemed voices of the New Human movement we look forward to welcoming.
A village that provides for itself#
Neos is designed to show that even a development of this scale is possible with very little external input — generating, capturing and cycling what it needs, while drawing minimally on public infrastructure.
Energy
Our own electricity generation powers the village — clean, local and resilient.
Water
Highly efficient water management: rainwater capture, graywater reuse — and, if ever needed, technologies that harvest water directly from the air.
Recycling
Waste designed out from the start — composting, recycling and circular material flows.
Food
With regenerative methods and smart farming, even Alentejo's soils can feed the whole village — with surplus of high-quality organic food shared with the local community.
In the same movement, we shift from the region's predominant meat agriculture towards vegetarian, crop-based growing — lighter on the land, and richer for it. A living proof of how powerfully nature returns when given the chance is the Knepp rewilding estate in England, a project that deeply inspires us.
Discover Knepp
From the Neos garden to the table — grown, harvested and cooked on the land
It has already begun
Our 800 m² market garden is feeding the team and guests today — and growing tremendously, season by season. We are expanding it step by step towards village scale.
By the time villagers move into their houses¹, the farming and regeneration will have long been underway — and borne fruit. That is the Neos difference: the village is already living and operating, before construction has even begun.
Founders & Team#
Neos is carried by people who have moved their lives here — founders, a growing team, and the professionals designing and licensing the village.
To learn more about the founders and their journey that led to the creation of Neos, click here.
The wider team
Wisdom Council LeadLisa Margulies
Leading the wisdom council guiding Neos' vision and culture.
Fractional CFOJoão Luis
Stewarding the project's finances.
Neos LabsTom Van Der Vlugt
Building Neos Living Labs in partnership with Montemor-o-Novo and universities
Retreat Center operationsCostanza Sibio
Coordinating the hospitality and volunteer operations of the Neos Center.
Permaculture GardeningShafiq Sha
Growing the organic farm that feeds the community.
CoachingRicky Reemer
Providing organisational and therapeutic coaching for the team and community.
Village Building Team
Urban planning & permittingPedro Leão / SONA
Seven-person team steering the masterplan through the permitting.
Development & ExecutionVitor Chitas
Civil engineer ensuring the successful execution of the project.
Visionary ArchitectureInphinity Design
The studio shaping the architectural vision of the village and centre.
Regenerative DesignEkogaio
Leading the regenerative and ecological design of the land.
Biophilic Housing DesignBiotonomy
Designing self-sufficient, biophilic housing for the village.
Eco Village Systems DesignSmarthoods
Integrating food, energy and water systems into the village design.
Legal CounselIsabel Tenreiro Martins
Supporting Neos on all things legal since the beginning.
Apply Your blueprintYour name
Supporting Neos with what you're passionate about, what you're good at, and what the world needs.
Meet some of our village members — your future neighbours?#
Meet the families and individuals that have already committed to life at Neos. Here are a few of the people you'll share the village with.
“We want to lead a life in harmony with my family, with nature and with other people. Helping each other, healing together instead of fighting each other. ‘It takes a loving village to raise a child’ because not everyone is kind to the children, and world peace begins at home¹.”
“Everything really showed me that you’ve been about this for years. You’ve built this not yesterday or the last twelve months but it’s deep inside you. And that’s a very moving and comforting situation.”
“I'm very, very grateful to be here. I'm absolutely bought into your vision. I'm excited to contribute to whatever level we can, but mostly I'm just very grateful for what you're doing, because so many people want to live in an environment like this, but very, very, very few people could come anywhere close to creating it. And so you're pioneering here in a way that I've not seen anybody attempt to do. Just thank you.”
“Our journey into the idea of being a part of conscious community started with Yanush meeting Vincent many years ago. Through many deep conversations, we realized that Vincent is destined to create something very special. With Karen joining him, we watched them birth Neos. Today, we know that Neos is on its path of becoming a one-of-a-kind community that will raise the consciousness of our planet.”
“The vision of Neos speaks directly to my heart and soul. As an artist, I recognise beauty and truth when I encounter them. What Karen and Vincent are quietly creating here in the Alentejo moves me deeply. This land has a way of calling the right things into being. And as a creator myself, I feel not only drawn to this vision but genuinely called to contribute to bringing it to life.”
“This is the most thoughtful and thought-through project my family and I have come across. Karen and Vincent make it easy to trust, and the community already seems to be a reflection of this.”
“I'm super impressed with everything and I'm very excited about the vision of Neos. I feel like it's a way of living our values and our spirituality and putting it forth and that is exactly what I'm looking for. I just want to really thank you for all the work that you've done. I just can't wait to see what comes next. Thank you.”
“Our dream is to create a simple yet meaningful life for our family, deeply connected to nature, community, and like-minded souls. We feel drawn to Neos as a village where we can grow together, surrounded by nature and connection, while giving our children — Devi (7), Milan (5) and Gaia (3) — the freedom to explore, create, and find their own path.”
Founder-led to a self-governing village#
Planning and development are initially led and facilitated by the Neos Center. Gradually, we begin to speak the same language and learn the collective practises, while the first governance bodies are introduced, and the village begins to govern itself.
- 2026 · now
Onboarding
Members join and are welcomed into the community. Development and planning remain with the Neos Center, with consultation from the members on relevant topics.
- 2027
Community practise training
Three trainings across the year introduce the key practises of the village, including conflict resolution, and community governance through sociocracy.
- 2028
Governance bodies & transition
The first governance bodies form and decision-making begins transferring from the Center to the members.
- 2029
A sovereign, self-governing village
The village governs itself, including a general assembly. The Neos Center continues to steward the commons across both lands.
The documents behind the project
Serious buyers get full access to the legal foundation of Neos after submitting an application. Nothing is hidden — every commitment is written down.
- Purchase Contract (CPCV)The promissory purchase agreement for your house¹.
- Memorandum of UnderstandingThe agreement that governs reservations before the building licence.
- Governance CodexHow decisions are made in the village — rights, responsibilities and processes.
- Community AgreementThe shared culture and commitments of living together at Neos.
The journey so far — and the road ahead#
We believe in radical transparency. This is exactly where the project stands today: what has been achieved, what we are working on right now, and what comes next. We have been documenting the whole journey through our newsletter.
Before Neos — the founders' journeys
Vincent
- 2002–2009
Investment banking in London — JPMorgan and Merrill Lynch.
- 2010–2014
Startup founder in São Paulo, Brazil.
- 2015–2023
Truth seeking and deep consciousness expansion — while supporting others as an executive and transformation coach, the foundation for Neos is being created.
- 2017
The vision first comes through: a centre for human consciousness development on a Greek island. "There's a better way."
- 2021
Neoslife is incorporated. Vincent explores a social app making consciousness development accessible — and lets the idea go.
- 2022
Spending ever more time living in nature by himself, working on a new immersive coaching programme.
- 2023
A profound experience reframes his understanding of the nature of reality and what it means to be human. He starts the Awaken to Beauty transformation retreats.
Karen
- 12 years
Daily meditation practice in devotion to awakening — ultimately releasing marriage, home, work and social life to surrender completely.
- 4 years
Coordinating the holistic services of a London addiction clinic.
- Ecovillages
Regional director of a European branch of the Global Ecovillage Network.
- Film & book
Co-produces the award-winning eco-village film 'The Blueprint' and publishes 'Celestial Earth', the story of her awakening.
- Founder
Founds The New Earth School and the Unified Coherence Coaching Academy — both later merged into Neos as the seed of its online offering.
- Vision
Writes the New Culture Eco-Village narrative 'Experience Paradise' — unknowingly describing Neos before ever hearing of it.
Two journeys become one — Neos begins.
- Oct 2023
The land is found
The land miraculously finds Vincent and starts the journey of building a conscious village in Portugal.
- Apr 2024
The purchase contract is signed
The investor search begins. Ultimately, the land is acquired with a mix of funds from the founders, future home¹ owners and a lender.
- May 2024
Karen and Vincent meet
Karen and Vincent meet Zoom call and realise they have the exact same vision. A week later on the land, it became clear they hold complementary halves of the project and are destined to be the yin and yang co-founders of the project.
- May 2025
The land is acquired
We finally sign the deed and move onto it the next day.
See the full timelineShow less
- Jun 2025
Begin hosting retreats
After a light renovation of the existing buildings, we host our first retreat and begin receiving guests.
- Aug 2025
Public opening event with Zach Bush, MD
Our first public event on the land — an opening celebration with Zach Bush, MD.
- Sep 2025
First Neos Villagers gathering
The founding members meet each other and spend time on the land they helped buy.
- Mar 2026
First Neos Experience Retreat
Initiating our own programming with a light retreat format — an invitation to get to know the vision, the people and the land.
- Apr 2026
Presented to the mayor & Turismo de Portugal
Official presentation of the project — the kick-off meeting to bring Neos into reality after several informal discussions.
- May 2026
One year of Neos
Our first anniversary on the land — reflecting on the journey ahead and the eventualities we might need to prepare for.
- Jun 2026
The Essence of Neos film
A three-minute short film capturing the land, the vision and the mission of Neos.
- Jul 2026
New house¹ reservation programme
Showing the design and masterplan vision for Neos for the first time.
- Q3 2026 · now
Finalising the masterplan & growing the team
After several iterations (see the masterplan evolution below ↓), we are now finalising the masterplan for the development.
- Q4 2026
Masterplan submission for approval
The finalised masterplan is submitted to the authorities for approval.
- Q1 2027
Community training gatherings commence
All community members of the first village cluster will gather on the land to train in our collective community practices, such as governance and conflict resolution.
- Q2 2027
Building licence expected
Approval of the building licence unlocks the construction phase.
- Q4 2027
Infrastructure development
Improving roads and bringing water, electricity and sewage access to the Lakeside Cluster.
- Q1 2028
House¹ construction starts
The first 31 houses¹ are being built.
- Q4 2028
Neos Village is coming alive
First residents move into the Lakeside Cluster, with cultural practises already established within a self-governing community.
Frequently asked questions#
During our onboarding and 1:1 calls we have answered numerous questions. Here are the most common ones.
Where is Neos?
Neos is located in Alentejo, Portugal — 20 minutes north of Montemor-o-Novo and 75 minutes east of Lisbon. Évora, a UNESCO World Heritage city, is 45 minutes away. See on Google Maps
How is Neos organised?
Neos has two arms. Neos Center — the education, retreat and transformation arm — occupies the northern part of the land. Neos Village, on the southern part, is becoming home¹ to 144 houses¹ and 300 villagers with its own community center and farm. Explore the land on Google Maps
How is Neos governed?
The Center and the Village are separate legal entities. Neos Village will be owned and governed by its villagers using the practise of Sociocracy; Neos Center will sit under the Neos Foundation, with a board of trustees safeguarding its mission.
Who is behind Neos?
Co-founders Karen Aiyana Birch and Vincent Daranyi, who live full-time on the land and have invested their entire personal funds in the project. They are not romantic but mission partners, holding the yin and yang of Neos. They are working with a team of multi-disciplinary partners and co-creators. If this calls you, apply here.
Who is Neos for?
People of all backgrounds and ages, united by a commitment to personal evolution — wanting to live in nature and community as active contributors rather than consumers to a more beautiful and conscious world starting with themselves.
What about childcare and schooling?
Neos is designing a living school for children — a dedicated learning environment where empowerment, nature and real-world skills replace the traditional classroom. Children grow up free in nature, embedded in a multigenerational community that shares in their care and upbringing. More about Neos and families
What is Neos not?
Neos is not a hippie commune, not an escape from society, and not guru- or dogma-led. It seeks to integrate with the local environment and wider community. Beyond a shared commitment to consciousness and inner work, nothing is prescribed. Read "Neos is not for Everyone"
What are the options for becoming a villager?
You can become a villager through an application process where we get to know each other and feel into the alignment. House¹ reservation deposits currently start from €52,500. Apply now.
How much does a house¹ cost?
Neos Village is not a commercial development. House¹ prices start at €175,000 and are currently offered at cost. Prices reflect significant infrastructure and communal facilities development costs that the 144 houses¹ share across the 158 ha of village land. Prices increase as the project develops, rewarding early investors' support and commitment.
When will the village be ready?
Masterplanning is underway with local government, relevant entities and Turismo de Portugal engaged. We expect planning permission by Q2 2027 and for the first residents to live in Neos Village by the end of 2028.
Do I own my house¹ outright?
Yes. Houses¹ at Neos are bought with full legal ownership under Portuguese law, via a standard promissory contract (CPCV) followed by the deed.
What does the €50 application fee cover?
It confirms genuine interest and unlocks the full document set and calls with the team. It is credited towards any Neos retreat or experience.
Can I rent my house¹ out when I'm not there?
Yes, you are encouraged to within the village's shared agreements. As with any touristic development and to ensure the integrity of communal life, Neos Village will manage the rental process for you.
Is Neos for you?#
Neos is not for everyone — and that is the point. We are gathering people who want to co-create a village, not just buy a house¹ in one.
Who thrives here
- People and families seeking deep community without giving up their independence or careers.
- Those drawn to nature, regeneration, and living in a more intentional rhythm of life.
- Pioneers at heart — people who want to contribute to a more beautiful world.
What we ask of villagers
- Genuine intention to live at Neos, part-time or full-time
- Openness to community life, shared agreements and inner work
- Financial readiness for your chosen house¹ type
- A completed application and a conversation with the founders
Take the Neos Attunement Questionnaire#
Life at Neos will be more of a frequency match for some than others. These reflective statements help you feel into the village's culture and vision.
35 questions · ~10 minutes
- 1
Select your house¹
Choose the house¹ type and cluster that fit your life.
- 2
Share a little about you
Tell us who you are and what draws you to Neos.
- 3
Schedule a 15-minute call
Meet a founder personally and ask anything you like.
- 4
Receive the documents
The purchase contract and community agreements — full clarity before any commitment.
- 5
Sign & make your payment
Sign your contract and place your payment securely.
Welcome to Neos Village
Your home¹ in the village is secured, and you are welcomed into the community.
Four ways to get to know Neos#
The best way to understand Neos is to experience it — on the land, with the people. Choose the doorway that suits you.
Vision, Mission, Essence & Masterplan
Four short films that tell the story of Neos.
Latest from @neos.life#
Moments from the land, the community and the journey — fresh from our Instagram.
Ready to take the next step?#
Here is the clearest path forward, whichever way you'd like to begin.
Begin your application
Tell us who you are and what draws you to Neos — the first step towards becoming a villager.
Begin your applicationTake the Attunement Questionnaire
35 reflective statements to help you feel into the village's culture and vision.
Start the questionnaireJoin a Neos Experience retreat
Five days on the land — the fastest way to know if Neos is your place.
Book the retreatBook a visit or a 1:1 call
A self-paced afternoon on the land, or a personal conversation with the team.
¹ The terms 'home' and 'house' are chosen for convenience. Currently, Neos Village is envisaged to be classified as a touristic development, meaning the 'houses' are dwellings in a touristic village rather than residences — and owners may choose to occupy them all year.