Blockstream Launches R&D Hub in Switzerland to Drive Fintech Innovation on Bitcoin’s Liquid & Lightning Networks

Lugano, Switzerland | Nov. 7, 2024 — Blockstream, the global leader in Bitcoin infrastructure technology, has unveiled a new state-of-the-art R&D center in Switzerland today dedicated to accelerating the development of cutting-edge financial solutions on the Liquid and Lightning networks. 

Situated in Lugano, the center will help further drive Blockstream’s mission to advance Bitcoin’s role in reshaping global finance, drawing on collaboration with local partners, startups and the thriving Build on L2 community to develop innovative applications on Bitcoin’s two most popular Layer-2s. 

The opening of the new research center follows a series of successful L2-related events co-hosted by Blockstream and its partners over the past month to coincide with Lugano’s Plan ₿ Forum, one of Europe’s largest annual Bitcoin gatherings. 

These events included Liquid Investor Day and Thunderstorm — a series of investor-focused talks about Bitcoin — in Lugano, where industry leaders met to explore new use-cases for Liquid and Lightning aimed at bridging the gap between Bitcoin and traditional finance. Following the Plan ₿ Forum, the Liquid Developer Boot Camp meanwhile took place in Viareggio, Italy, a town already known for its Lightning Summit developer event. 

New Blockstream R&D Center: A Collaborative Platform for Innovation

With special focus on Liquid, Bitcoin’s primary sidechain for the issuance of digital assets, and its bitcoin derived code based Elements, the Lugano research center will serve as a collaborative platform, supporting startups and developers from the local area and beyond. 

Through partnerships with the Plan B Network and Lugano’s POW.space bitcoin hub communities, Blockstream—as Liquid’s exclusive technical provider—will provide resources and mentorship to startups and developers, empowering them to succeed in developing prototypes and real-world applications. 

Blockstream’s Lugano-based Green team and Chief Architect will play key roles in this initiative, offering mentorship and hands-on development hours as well as actively looking for talent to expand the team in the region.

​​“The launch of our new R&D hub in Lugano comes on the heels of an overwhelmingly positive response from both the developer and wider financial communities to our recent events in Switzerland and Italy, demonstrating strong interest in Liquid and Lightning and their potential applications in modern finance,” said Dr. Adam Back, Co-Founder and CEO of Blockstream. “We are excited to collaborate with developers and financial institutions to drive further adoption and innovation of Blockstream’s layer-2 solutions within the Bitcoin ecosystem, as we work to unlock new possibilities for secure, scalable financial products that meet the demands of modern markets.”

A key element of this initiative will also be Blockstream’s collaboration with Build On L2, an online community of builders on Lightning and Liquid which has grown significantly in recent years, amassing thousands of members.

The community has already enrolled hundreds of students in the Elements Academy, a Blockstream educational initiative, and provided significant grants, such as $150,000 USD for integrating the Validating Lightning Signer (VLS) into Greenlight—an open-source project enhancing Lightning Network applications across platforms.

The center will also nurture strong ties with the wider Liquid developer community. Blockstream recently released the Liquid Wallet Kit and updated language bindings and libraries, making it easier for developers to build on Liquid. These resources will be available at the center, further supporting the growth and expansion of the Liquid ecosystem.

To further encourage innovation, Blockstream will offer CHF 10,000 (approx. $11,500 USD) sponsorships for promising projects, with a panel of judges evaluating submissions based on their level of innovation, feasibility and alignment with real-world financial applications. Selected projects will receive invitations, including travel and accommodation, to work on-site in Lugano and collaborate directly with Blockstream’s team.

Expanding on Blockstream’s Vision for Financial Innovation

The new R&D hub highlights Blockstream’s strong commitment to financial innovation, especially in Switzerland, which has become a global leader in recent years in terms of blockchain-related development.

By creating a collaborative environment, Blockstream aims to empower developers and startups to harness the full potential of Bitcoin’s layer-2 ecosystem, driving the next wave of financial solutions aligned with the evolving needs of global markets.

For more information on Blockstream’s R&D initiatives and how to get involved, please visit Blockstream’s official website. 

If you are a startup and want to use Blockstream technology stack - write to business@blockstream.com

If you are interested in career opportunities with Blockstream - ​ apply here. ​ 

About Blockstream

Founded in 2014, Blockstream is a global leader in Bitcoin and blockchain infrastructure, with offices and team members distributed around the world. 

Serving as the technology provider for the Liquid Network, Blockstream offers a sidechain solution that enables secure, trustless Bitcoin swap settlements and robust smart contracts, empowering financial institutions to tokenize assets efficiently. 

The company’s Core Lightning is a leading implementation of the open Lightning Network protocol, widely adopted for enterprise Bitcoin Lightning Network deployments. 

Blockstream Jade, an open-source hardware wallet, delivers advanced security for Bitcoin and Liquid assets in an easy-to-use form factor. 

For consumers, Blockstream Green is a highly secure and user-friendly Bitcoin wallet.