Thunderstruck⚡️9.12.25

The latest and greatest from the world's largest Bitcoin-focused investing network!

Author

Mike Jarmuz
September 12, 2025

Yo Lightning⚡️Ventures gang, happy Friday!

With the recent whirlwind of world events, from political upheaval in Nepal and the shocking assassination of Charlie Kirk to spirited debates over Bitcoin’s spam filter, the world feels like it’s moving at light speed.

The headlines may be chaotic, but Bitcoin just keeps doing what it does best: tick tock, next block. In this Thunderstruck issue, we’ll ground the noise with solid updates on our portfolio companies, share some fresh Bitcoiner job opportunities, and spotlight today’s Lightning Lounge Live Spaces at 3 PM CT. Strap in! The world may be going through wild times, but our mission and momentum remain steady. Let’s dive in 👇🏻

Heads up! If you're interested in joining the Lightning⚡️Ventures investing network, just reply to this email and we’ll send you the details. You can also join our Telegram channel, or flash a Bat Signal to me to schedule a call or answer your questions.

📣 As a reminder, Lightning⚡️Ventures has a Syndicate, Fund, RegCF Crowdfunding Portal, and Consultancy!

  • Lightning⚡️Ventures is the world’s largest Bitcoin-focused, stage-agnostic, angel investing network! We invest anywhere between $100k - $500k. Join us!

  • Node 2 Fund invests $100k - $1M in Pre-seed and Series A Bitcoin companies. If you would like to schedule a call and discuss, please reply to this email.

  • Thunder Funder is a newly launched Equity Crowdfunding Portal dedicated to Bitcoin and Open-Source projects!

  • Spark Services is a consulting and advisory service that assists early-stage companies in fundraising, go-to-market, guerrilla marketing, product support, scaling, and more!

📈 Portfolio News ICYMI

⚡️ Breez - The waitlist for the Nodeless on Spark beta is now open

Summary: Secure your spot to get early access on the easiest way to bring bitcoin into any app.

⚡️ SatsBack - Earn up to 1.5% Bitcoin back at Walmart

Summary: Walmart shoppers can now earn up to 1.5% back in bitcoin on online purchases through SatsBack, making everyday spending an easy way to stack sats while shopping.

Summary: Startup Day, known for its high-energy panels, surprise announcements, and builder-first community, is back. After an electric run at SXSW 2025, the action moves to Mérida, Mexico, October 9–11. Expect deep-dive discussions at Whitepaper House, a packed PlebLab × Yopaki Bitcoin Block Party with pitches, tacos, and tequila, plus a Saturday of beach excursions and Mayan ruins. It’s loud, fast, and built for Bitcoiners who ship.

Summary: Every other Friday, Relai’s product managers and developers showcase their latest work. Last week’s Demo Day highlighted improvements to the first-time user experience and verification process—part of Relai’s ongoing mission to make getting started with Bitcoin simpler and more seamless.

Summary: Simplicity is now active on the Liquid Bitcoin sidechain mainnet. While the community waits on OP_CAT, debates OP_CTV, and dreams about OP_VAULT, developers can begin building with Simplicity today, opening new possibilities for advanced Bitcoin smart contracts.

Summary: THNDR has joined forces with Sparket, a Startup of the Year nominee known for its social, real-money contests. The partnership integrates THNDR’s peer-to-peer skill games directly into Sparket’s community, giving players ongoing competitive options beyond event-driven wagers. Together, they’re reshaping online betting to be fast, fair, house-free, and community-driven.

Summary: Released latest updates including improvements to payment processing and integrations.

Summary: Emphasized no fees for converting direct deposits to Bitcoin, promoting better money services.

Summary: Promoted opening corporate accounts via the app to diversify reserves into Bitcoin and USDT, starting from R$1 via Pix.

Summary: Shared details of meetings with Suriname's central bank and president proposing 1% reserves in Bitcoin, halted by World Bank intervention.

Bitcoin is Better:
Empowering Middle-Class Families

This week’s Spaces features members of the Bitcoin is Better team—an organization dedicated to equipping middle-class families with practical Bitcoin education and tools. They’re using innovative AI video content to make Bitcoin concepts accessible and actionable, helping families protect and grow their hard-earned wealth.

Join us for an engaging conversation about revitalizing the middle class, fostering financial stability, and making the promise of Bitcoin a reality for everyone. Tune in here 👉🏼 https://x.com/i/spaces/1ZkKzZaVvByKv

Are you a founder? Want to share your story, practice your pitch, or get real-time feedback on fundraising, regulation, and navigating the venture landscape? Whether you're just getting started or deep in the grind, this is your chance to connect with VCs, peers, and operators who live and breathe Bitcoin. Come hang out and learn!

Our Bitcoin-only funding portal, where almost anyone can back the next generation of Bitcoin startups, is coming out with new deal offerings and a whole lot more. Keep an eye out over the next few weeks for exclusive updates and announcements. If you haven’t already, sign up today and join the movement.

Are you a founder? Apply to raise!

Pretty wild headline from Forbes! LFG!!

Keep up that poker face while you stack

We’ll be at a lot of these events! Say hi.

Work in Bitcoin! There is no second-best career. There’s a ton of open positions at our portfolio companies. Check out the scoop below 👇🏻

Ready to Raise? Let’s Make It Happen.

If you’re a founder who is building on Bitcoin, are you ready to level up? At Lightning Ventures, we work with the best builders in the space, helping them connect with investors who share their passion on all things Bitcoin. Whether you’re developing on Lightning, exploring Taproot Assets, or crafting the next-generation Bitcoin product, we want to hear from you.

Applying is easy — just fill out this form and tell us what you’re working on. We’re here to support bold ideas, spark big conversations, and help you find the right backers to fuel your vision. Let’s build the future together.