Introduction
For the past three years, we have been orange-pilling the West of Portugal — onboarding merchants, educating the community, and growing a real circular Bitcoin economy.
Now it’s time to take it to the next level.
The Bitcoin Coast Initiative is a recurring 3-month program that brings builders, educators, and Bitcoiners from around the world to live, build, and spend sats together in Caldas da Rainha.
We’re creating a full-stack Bitcoin hub:
- Builder Residency
- National Bitcoin Meetup
- International Bitcoin Conference
- Permanent Bitcoin Space & Shop
- Local partnerships and merchant adoption
“We are building a bridge between two systems — one that is dying and one that is being born.” — Jeff Booth
This is where that bridge becomes real.
Vision
Our vision is to make the West of Portugal a hub for practical Bitcoin adoption — a living example of how Bitcoin empowers communities, builders, and individuals.
A place where:
- Builders innovate using Bitcoin, Nostr, and open-source tools.
- Merchants accept Bitcoin naturally.
- Visitors can live fully on a Bitcoin standard.
- Education, freedom, and community grow hand in hand.
“Bitcoin is not a get-rich-quick scheme. It’s a get-free-slowly scheme.” — Gigi
Builder Residency – “Bitcoin Builders of the West”
What We Offer
- Discount Accommodation & workspace in Caldas da Rainha (in partnership with Prontos)
- Mentorship and technical infrastructure (Lightning nodes, APIs, workshops)
- Integration with local businesses to test real Bitcoin payment flows
- Media visibility and networking opportunities
- Exposure to investors and global Bitcoin companies
What We Expect
- Each builder or team develops a Bitcoin-native project (wallet, plugin, adoption tool, Lightning app, etc.) or similar permissionless software.
- Contribution to the local ecosystem: at least one workshop or onboarding event
- Presentation and demo at the final conference
“Cypherpunks write code.” — Eric Hughes, 1993
We are bringing this ethos to life — build first, talk later.
Program Structure
The program runs two times per year, each cycle lasting three months, followed by a three-month pause for reflection and preparation.
| Month | Focus | Key Events / Milestones | | ----------- | ------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Month 1 | Onboarding & Community | Builders arrive, orientation, workshops, local merchant onboarding National Meetup #1 | | Month 2 | Product Development | Builder sprints, mentorship, demos, Lightning adoption National Meetup #2 | | Month 3 | Launch & Global Exposure | Final project pitches, conference prep, media, Bitcoin Space activation International Conference & Grant Awards |
Bitcoin Space & Shop
A permanent Bitcoin hub in Caldas da Rainha — part store, part classroom, part hangout.
- Hardware wallets, books, nodes, and Bitcoin merchandise
- Education: self-custody, Lightning, privacy, philosophy
- Demo zone: test Lightning payments and merchant POS
- Lounge for community meetups and visitors
- Library of Bitcoin and Austrian economics classics
“Freedom is not something you ask for. It’s something you take.” — Alex Gladstein (HRF)
Partnership with Prontos
We are proud to partner with Prontos, Caldas da Rainha’s innovation and coworking leader — a space built for creativity, collaboration, and meaningful work.
Why Prontos
- Premier coworking hub with spaces at Avenida 1º de Maio and Impact Village
- Community-driven mission focused on regional innovation
- Perfect physical home for our residency, workshops, and hackathons
Together, we make Caldas da Rainha a Bitcoin builder’s paradise — combining purpose, productivity, and freedom.
Events
National Bitcoin Meetup
A one-day event at the end of the first month — a celebration of Portugal’s Bitcoin community.
- Panels & lightning talks
- Merchant showcases
- Live Bitcoin-only market
- Networking sunset gathering by the ocean
International Bitcoin Conference
A 2–3 day event concluding the residency, open to the world.
- Builder demos and live pitches
- Keynotes from Bitcoin thought leaders
- Merchant area: spend sats locally
- Workshops: sovereignty, privacy, Lightning, Nostr, education
- Final night concert or beach celebration
Grants & Awards:
- Bitcoin Coast Grant – best technical project
- Community Choice Award – voted by attendees
- Adoption Impact Award – most effective local integration
“The task of our time is to build parallel structures of freedom.” — Václav Benda
Why Sponsors & Investors Should Join
Sponsors Gain
- Branding across all events, media, and physical spaces
- Year-round visibility across three program cycles
- Alignment with authentic, grassroots Bitcoin adoption
- Partnership with Prontos and regional government visibility
- Exclusive networking with builders and educators
Investors Gain
- Early-stage access to builder startups and prototypes
- Real-world testing ground for Bitcoin business models
- Authentic credibility inside the maximalist community
- Strategic presence in the first functioning Bitcoin region in Europe
“Sound money is the foundation of a free and prosperous society.” — Saifedean Ammous
Why Caldas da Rainha
- Mild climate and year-round sun
- Affordable lifestyle compared to Lisbon or Berlin
- Friendly and safe for families and remote workers
- Surf, nature, and creativity by the Silver Coast
- Bitcoin-ready merchants thanks to 3 years of groundwork
“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” — Epictetus
Call to Action
We invite:
- Bitcoin companies to sponsor residencies and grants
- Local government & partners to support logistics and merchant networks
- Builders from around the world to apply for our next cohort
- Educators & community leaders to spread adoption locally
“We’re all just running the code until freedom wins.” — Matt Odell
Together, we’ll make Portugal’s West the heartbeat of Bitcoin in Europe.
Closing
“The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” — Thomas Jefferson
Bitcoin is freedom in code. The Bitcoin Coast Initiative is how we bring that code to life — in Caldas da Rainha, under the Portuguese sun, with builders, dreamers, and sats.
Live. Build. Spend. Repeat.
with love, Francis 💜
