Week in BTX: Friday May 6, 2022
Helios: Energizing Jobs in west Texas ⚡⚡⚡
While RIOT announced its one gigawatt Bitcoin mining facility in Navarro County, ARGO was busy energizing Helios, its flagship Bitcoin mining facility in Dickens County in west Texas.
Phase 1 of Helios’ development will use 200 MW of power for immersion mining, using 20,000 Bitmain S19J Pro miners. Helios has access to up to an additional 600 MW of power at the location, for a total of 800 MW.
This will be one of the largest immersion mining operations in the world.
Most importantly, ARGO is creating jobs for Texans. ARGO is currently hiring, check out the job postings here.
General
Austin based Lionshield BTC announced today the acquisition of the first round of seed funding from Brooks Legend Venture. Lionshield is working with economic development agencies across the country to acquire the land and infrastructure needed to launch and operate containerized bitcoin mining farms and the seed funding will assist with building a localized bitcoin economies across the United States.
Public Policy/Politics/Regulatory
The official State of Texas’ Work Group on Blockchain Matters is hosting a public hearing on May 20, 2022 in Austin to hear testimony from invited guests and the pubic relating to the development of a master plan for the expansion of the blockchain industry in Texas. Do you work in the Bitcoin industry in Texas, then go provide public comments!
While the State of New York moves to ban Bitcoin mining, California’s Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order to create a regulatory approach to spur responsible innovation while protecting consumers, assess how to deploy blockchain technology for state and public institutions, and build research and workforce development pathways to prepare Californians for success in this industry.
Texas State Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s (D-Dallas) campaign for US Congress has accepted millions in support from crypto backed SuperPACs and her opponent in the Democratic primary runoff election, Jane Hope Hamilton, released a new campaign add criticizing Rep. Crockett’s support from the crypto industry.
Nearly two dozen members of Congress sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) highlighting their concerns about the environmental impact of Bitcoin mining. The Bitcoin industry has responded with a letter of their own from 55 Bitcoin industry leaders, including those with operations in Texas: Core, ARGO, Compass, Lancium, Marathon, NYDIG and RIOT.
Mining
Bloomberg dives into the challenges Bitcoin miners in west Texas are facing providing housing for their workforce. Are Bitcoin man camps in our future?
Texas based crowdfunding platform EnergyFunders has started selling equity shares of Bitcoin mining operations through its Bitcoin Discovery Fund.
According to an SEC filing, the EnergyFunders will sell equity in Bitcoin mining operations attached to off-grid natural gas mining rigs for $5,000 per share.
The Midland-Odessa Transportation Alliance highlighted how Bitcoin mining could be a bigger part of the Permian Basin's economy and oil and gas industry.
ARGO announced the energization and opening of Helios, their flagship Bitcoin mining facility in Dickens County, Texas.
ARGO entered into additional loans with NYDIG for up to $70.6M at a rate of 12% for purchase of Bitcoin mining equipment for its mining facility at Helios.
Marathon announced 4,183 miners (0.4 EH/s) were successfully installed in containers at their new Texas facility with thousands of additional miners being installed and prepared for energization.
Events
Energy Elevated Technology Showcase presented by TXOGA May 9, 2022 in Austin
Austin Lightning Network Developers May 11, 2022
Dallas Bitcoin Meetup May 12, 2022. DM @BossHogCapital or @Dallas_Bitcoin for details.
San Antonio Bitcoin Meetup May 12, 2022
Midland Bitcoin Meetup May 12, 2022
North Houston Bitcoin Meetup May 18, 2022 in The Woodlands
Mckinney Bitcoin Meetup May 18, 2022.
Austin Bitdevs May 19, 2022
State of Texas Work Group on Blockchain Matters public hearing May 20, 2022 in Austin.
Houston Bitcoin Meetup May 26, 2022
Austin Bitcoin Club June 2, 2022 at Bitcoin Commons
btc++ bitcoin dev conf in June 7-8, 2022 in Austin
Austin Lightning Network Developers June 8, 2022
Dallas Bitcoin Meetup June 9, 2022. DM @BossHogCapital or @Dallas_Bitcoin for details
Consensus June 10-12, 2022 in Austin
BitBlockParty June 10, 2022 during Consensus in Austin
Coin Center Annual Dinner June 10, 2022 during Consensus in Austin
Austin Bitdevs June 16, 2022
Houston Bitcoin Meetup June 23, 2022
Austin Bitcoin Club July 7, 2022 at Bitcoin Commons
Dallas Bitcoin Meetup July 14, 2022. DM @BossHogCapital or @Dallas_Bitcoin for details
Austin Bitdevs July 21, 2022
Houston Bitcoin Meetup July 28, 2022
Austin Bitcoin Club August 4, 2022 at Bitcoin Commons
Dallas Bitcoin Meetup August 11, 2022. DM @BossHogCapital or @Dallas_Bitcoin for details
BitBlockBoom August 25-28, 2022, in Austin
Texas Blockchain Summit November 18, 2022 in Austin SAVE THE DATE
LinkedIn says Bitcoin and crypto job postings grew 395% in 2021: 3x the tech industry. Have a Bitcoin related job you want to promote? Reach out!
Jobs
Trammell Venture Partners is hiring marketing/communications lead and an Analyst in Austin.
Poolin is hiring positions in Austin, Pyote and Pecos.
Compass Mining is hiring three positions in Austin, including a Director of Communications.
Upstream Data is hiring a Business Developer based in Texas
US Bitcoin Corp is hiring a Crypto Infrastructure Operations
Digital Wildcatters is hiring a Sales Account Manager in Houston
Marty Bent's TFTC is looking for a front-end developer to help implement a site-wide redesign. Requirements are experience building on Ghost and BTCPay Server.
Core Scientific is hiring in Austin, Denton, Pecos and Barstow
Rosseau is hiring a Data Center Manger ($120-$150k paid in USD and/or BTC) in Austin. Email talent at rosseau.io for more info.
Cormint Data Systems (Fort Bocks) is hiring a Data Center Technician in Fort Stockton
Bitmain is hiring a Mining Farm Operation Manager in Houston
Lighting Capital is hiring its first employee, an experienced Go developer to help Lightning node operators manage their Bitcoin capital.
Rhodium is hiring positions in Austin and Temple and an armed security officer in Rockdale.
Satoshi Energy is hiring 5 positions in Austin.
Argo Blockchain is hiring Mining Technicians, and Facility Electrical Engineers for its west Texas facility.
RIOT is hiring 2 positions in Austin, including Associate General Counsel.
Okcoin is hiring 3 positions based in Austin.
Unchained Capital is hiring for 15 positions based in Austin & Dallas.
Lancium is hiring positions based in The Woodlands and a Data Center Site Facilities Manager in Abilene.
NYDIG is hiring 7 roles in the Houston area.
The Blockchain Association’s job board shows 60 Texas based jobs.
Bitcoiner Jobs shows 8 Texas based Bitcoin jobs.
People on the Move
The Texas Blockchain Council announced that Jim Flint will provide key support to the organization in the newly created role of Chief Revenue Officer.
Bitcoin Citadel
The 425 acre Frio Crossing Ranch is a highly improved, live water ranch with over a quarter mile of both sides of Frio River frontage. The ranch has senderos, five hunting blinds, six corn feeders and seven protein feeders on the property. Native Whitetail, quail, axis, turkey, and dove roam the acreage along with numerous exotic species including scimitar, horned oryx, and addax.
To Ponder While You Wander
“There's a lot of flaring, there is a lot of gas here, really there's the entrepreneurship mindset here in Midland so everyone is really excited about the opportunities…..This is a way to cross train people, get more electricians, pumpers, construction. There's a big market for new jobs directly in this industry.” - Kat Galloway, CEO for Artemis Energy talking bringing Bitcoin mining to the Permian Basin.