Building Self-Sovereign Bitcoin Mining: The Journey and Vision

🏭Bob shares his experience as the Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President of Product at Gateway, a billion-dollar company in the 90s.

💡Bob explains how he discovered Bitcoin and the initial impact it had on him coming from a tech background.

🔌Bob talks about his involvement in the Bitcoin mining industry, starting with building Ethereum mining servers and later becoming a distributor for Bitfury.

💰Bob discusses his interest in Austrian economics and how it influenced his understanding and appreciation of Bitcoin's monetary policy.

🧩Bob reveals his collaboration with industry experts, including Bumsu Kim, to design their own ASIC chip for self-sovereign Bitcoin mining.

What is Gateway and Bob's role in the company?

—Gateway was a major computer company in the 90s, and Bob served as the Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President of Product.

How did Bob discover Bitcoin?

—After leaving Gateway, Bob got involved in building Ethereum mining servers, which led him to explore the technical aspects of cryptocurrencies and ultimately discover Bitcoin.

What is Bob's vision for self-sovereign Bitcoin mining?

—Bob envisions owning the entire mining stack, from energy generation to chip design, to achieve true self-sovereignty and eliminate dependencies on others.

Who is Bumsu Kim and how is he involved in the ASIC design?

—Bumsu Kim, a former employee of Samsung and a pioneer in solid-state disc technology, is leading the ASIC design team in collaboration with Bob.

What are the challenges in designing the ASIC for self-sovereign Bitcoin mining?

—Designing an ASIC requires significant investment and expertise. Bob's team is focused on producing high-performance chips with higher energy densities, enabling a more efficient and compact mining infrastructure.

00:00Bob introduces the episode and mentions his sponsor, River, a secure Bitcoin investment platform.

02:35Bob shares his background as the Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President of Product at Gateway, a major computer company in the 90s.

12:20After leaving Gateway, Bob got involved in building Ethereum mining servers and later became a distributor for Bitfury, a Bitcoin mining equipment manufacturer.

21:50Bob discusses his interest in Austrian economics and how it led him to explore Bitcoin and appreciate its monetary policy.

30:15Bob explains his vision for self-sovereign Bitcoin mining, where he aims to own the entire mining stack, including energy generation and chip design.

39:40Bob talks about his collaboration with Bumsu Kim, a former Samsung employee, to design their own ASIC chip for self-sovereign Bitcoin mining.