Reality of running a [Bitcoin] hardware startup

In plain words

This is a personal account documenting the experience of ordering specialized Bitcoin mining devices (ASICs) from a hardware startup founder. The author discusses their purchase from Tom, who operates BTCFPGA and BitcoinASIC, companies providing mining hardware to the Bitcoin community. The narrative focuses on the challenges of hardware startup operations, including competitive pressures, manufacturing delays, and the founder's eventual decision to step down and sell equity to a Chinese manufacturer due to inability to meet shipping timelines.

written from the facts on this page · September 2026

From the sources

In the maker’s words, at launch

I am a long term supporter of Bitcoin, and have ordered a couple of specialized mining devices (ASICs) from a well-known individual of the Bitcoin community. This individual, Tom, is known for founding [BTCFPGA](http://btcfpga.com), which sells Bitcoin FPGAs and was one of the first to provide FPGAs to Bitcoin.…

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