SOVEREIGN ENGINEERING
Six weeks in Madeira. Work all week. Demo on Friday.
Bitcoin, Lightning, Nostr, and tools people can run themselves.
Why Sovereign Engineering?
We care about software people can run, verify, fork, and leave. Bitcoin proved that strong rules beat soft promises. Nostr carries the same instinct into identity, publishing, and coordination. We want more builders working from that base.
- ✦ Work on Bitcoin, Lightning, Nostr, and adjacent freedom tech
- ✦ Build systems users can verify and exit
- ✦ Care about censorship resistance and permissionless access
- ✦ Avoid ad-tech incentives and closed platforms
- ✦ Ship tools that people can actually use
- ✦ No shitcoins
What is Sovereign Engineering?
Sovereign Engineering brings 21 builders to Madeira for six weeks. People work in person, argue in person, walk in person, and ship in public every Friday.
- ✦ One cohort
- ✦ Six weeks
- ✦ Twenty-one seats
- ✦ Shared workspace in Funchal
- ✦ Friday demos every week
- ✦ Real projects, not slide decks
How does it work?
The structure is simple and strict. The same weekly loop repeats for six weeks, which keeps projects moving and keeps people honest.
- ✦ In person: shared room, shared meals, shared context
- ✦ The Weekly Loop: show, talk, build, repeat
- ✦ The Walks: long conversations on foot
- ✦ Six Captains: one captain each week
- ✦ Friday Demo Days: everyone demos every week
What Others Are Saying
Don't take our word for it. Here's what our fans and alumni have to say about Sovereign Engineering. Cryptographically signed and broadcast on nostr, of course:
The past two months [at SEC-01] were probably two of the best months of my life and I'm not young anymore. [...] I met so many amazing people during that time and it was incredible to explore the beautiful Madeira island together, sharing wild ideas, helping each other's projects, discussing stuff, learning with each other, making new friendships, shipping the future.
balas
Alphaama
I'm surprised that I'm still here! (Uttered during the last week of SEC-04, after moving flights twice.)
Justin Moon
Zig Evangelist
Sovereign Engineering is the best place to focus on what you can do with the tech, but also pushing hard on the philosophical application of the Bitcoin+Lightning+Nostr+AI stack. Madeira island is like a paradise with one of the most advanced bitcoin economies I've ever seen. I highly recommend it, and I hope I can do another one soon.
Pedro
Anatomy of Bitcoin
Sovereign Engineering has proven to be a place where the foundations of the internet are being redefined.
Arjen
Tollgate
Yesterday I had the privilege of witnessing the demos of the first Sovereign Engineering cohort here in Madeira. Mind completely blown. Everyone should check out these projects. People have no idea how good Nostr is going to get.
miljan
Primal
The SEC-01 was the most exciting and bullish set of presentations at Bitcoin Atlantis. These people are building our future and will have an immense impact upon our world. I look forward to seeing was SEC-02 will build. Plus, Madeira is incredibly beautiful.
Derek Ross
Grow Nostr Initiative
I went to the first cohort of Sovereign Engineering last year and felt a profound sense of being in the right place at the right time with the right people. Bitcoin and nostr are not just protocols, they are a rallying point for people who know we can do better and want to contribute to something bigger than ourselves, and Sovereign Engineering is a catalyst for making that happen. More importantly than all that though, I made friends for life.
gsovereignty
Nostrovia
Sovereign Engineering is Bletchley Park ² A mind melding brain melting cornucopia of creative coding for humanity It's all quite bonkers
Chiefmonkey
plebeian.market
I returned to the real world three weeks ago and I'm still fired up to ship every week. It's been a life changing experience.
vnprc
Hashpool
Applications are now closed
Applications for SEC-08 are closed. We will post the next cohort here when it is ready.
Check the dates of our upcoming cohorts .