Show Notes
The UK has the talent, the capital, and the financial infrastructure. So why are Bitcoin founders still hesitating? Ben Cousens — Chief Strategy Officer at ZBD, co-founder of Antidote, and one of the few people who's been backing Bitcoin businesses from inside venture capital — joins Jordan on the rooftop at Antidote's Hatton Garden space to get into it. 🇬🇧 Join the UK Bitcoin Business Network here: https://bitcoincollective.co/bbn/ CONTACT JORDAN: X: https://x.com/JayW132 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-walker-293955106/ Email: [email protected] CONTACT BEN: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bencousens/ Website: https://antidotebtc.com/ Topics covered: How ZBD put Bitcoin into video games — and grew a partner's revenue four to five times in a year ZBD's $40M Series C and what it means for Bitcoin payments in gaming Why most Bitcoin founders have a project, not a company — and the difference matters What Antidote is, how it works, and who should apply Why the UK isn't falling behind on Bitcoin, it's drifting — and what that distinction means The regulatory shift coming as high street banks move toward Bitcoin accounts Why business owners understand Bitcoin faster than individuals Ben's take on the one thing he'd change about the UK's approach to Bitcoin and fintech TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro — The UK Is Drifting, Not Falling Behind 01:37 Ben's Background — Video Games, Film and a Hard Pivot to Finance 03:00 How Ben First Encountered Bitcoin 04:15 The Hairdresser Top Signal and Selling at the 2017 Peak 06:25 Top Three Video Games of All Time 08:24 Getting Sign-Off to Research Bitcoin Inside a VC Fund 09:33 Building a Bitcoin Investment Thesis at Lake Star 11:15 What Is ZBD and How Does It Work? 15:59 ZBD's $40M Series C 19:29 What People Get Wrong About Building Bitcoin Businesses 25:15 The Moment Ben Decided to Found Antidote 28:31 The UK Isn't Falling Behind — It's Drifting 33:32 What Kind of Founders Is Antidote Looking For? 38:48 How Early Do You Need to Be to Apply? 41:50 Why Antidote Is Based on Hatton Garden 49:53 Where Does Ben Want Antidote to Be in Five Years? READ OUR NEWSLETTER: https://newsletter.bitcoincollective.co/ LISTEN / SUBSCRIBE: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/06sBiOznJDxuhafDmkE9VK?si=3f0a8bb8abd64eec Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-bitcoin-collective/id1561573613 Fountain: https://fountain.fm/show/AYHiNhTTv0HOgGEjRjWN YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bitcoincollective?sub_confirmation=1 All content provided by The Bitcoin Collective and guests in this episode is for informational and educational purposes only and is not financial, trading, or investment advice. Why the UK Is Finally Waking Up to Bitcoin ⸻ EDITED BY JAMES PEARCE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-pearcesf/ Available now on YouTube and all major podcast platforms.