Localhost Research has two “Units,” one “Group,” and two programs for short-term visitors. Programs designated as Units are self-contained; all members of a given Unit are located on-site at our Palo Alto office. A Group indicates that some collaborators are not in-office.
Bitcoin Core Unit
Bitcoin Core is the backbone of the Bitcoin network. Our Bitcoin Core Unit strengthens this critical infrastructure through sustained development, review, research, and maintenance work across the codebase.
Mining Unit
Our Mining Unit works to reduce centralization pressures in Bitcoin mining by developing decentralized, scalable infrastructure. The unit supports the FIBRE network and the P2Poolv2 project.
Post Quantum Cryptography Group
Established in partnership with Benedikt Bünz and Dan Boneh, our Post Quantum Cryptography Group studies and designs conservative cryptographic schemes for Bitcoin. Its research aims to inform Bitcoin’s response to the threat posed by cryptographically relevant quantum computers.
Contributors to this group that are not in-office work directly under Benedikt Bünz or Dan Boneh at their respective academic institutions.
Visiting Programs
Visiting Scholar
This immersive program is designed for individuals interested in becoming full-time contributors to Bitcoin-focused FOSS projects. You’ll be given the opportunity to be mentored by and work alongside members of our organization at our office in downtown Palo Alto.
The program has a minimum duration of three months and includes room and board, a weekly stipend, and a small travel budget for conferences and meetups that fall during your stay. We also pay for and help you acquire a visa.
During the program, participants will work with our team on active projects within the office as well as conduct their own research and development. It is expected that participants come prepared with work they are excited to pursue; while we are able to provide guidance and inspiration, it is expected for participants to at least have a general idea of how they would like to contribute back to Bitcoin. Your work should have crossover with the work we carry out in one of our three full-time contributor units/groups.
This program is designed for those who have experience in software engineering; participants are required to have a good grasp of the fundamentals of computer science as well as a verifiable history of contributing to software projects (either their own or those maintained by others).
Visiting Contributor
If you’re an established FOSS contributor working on projects that align with our efforts, we’d love to host you in Palo Alto for in-person collaboration. The duration of the visit is determined on a case by case basis. In some cases, we can cover costs related to your travel, room, and board.