Cardano SPO #111: Coudre Bros [CBROS]
Written interviews with Stake Pool Operators (SPOs) on the Cardano blockchain.
Today’s guest on the Cardano SPO column is a stake pool operated by Martin and with bare metal servers located in the Czech Republic, EU: Coudre Bros [CBROS].
The previous guest was a stake pool from the UK that helps delegators collect a myriad of other tokens on top of the ADA rewards through FISOs other distribution mechanisms.
This column is where I invite Stake Pool Operators (SPO) to share their stories and vision as a way to connect with and learn about the Cardano Community.
Hi, thanks for your time. Tell us something about yourself/team, where are you based and what are your backgrounds?
Hello, my name is Martin and I founded the Coudre Bros (CBROS) stake pool in 2021. All of the pool’s nodes are bare metal servers located in the Czech Republic, EU. Temporarily, from 2021 to 2022, my brother contributed with a relay node, which was located in the USA — in Illinois.
I am a physician, and I also have a great love for computers. My passion began with my first computer, the Atari 800 XE, in the 1980s. A significant change for me was the world of Linux, which I was introduced to in 2003 — since then, I’ve been addicted to Linux and I am thrilled with the tremendous progress Linux has made. I had no idea how much my knowledge of Linux would one day help me in operating a stake pool.
What’s the path that led you to Cardano and to become a Stake Pool Operator (SPO)?
I got into Cardano through Bitcoin, which I first read about on a Linux server in 2009. At that time, the principle really intrigued me and I even considered mining. But instead, I decided to go to the pub with friends :D. However, eventually, I got into BTC mining around 2013. I mined a bit, sold some for a few dollars. As the difficulty grew, I left mining and lost interest in cryptocurrencies. This lasted until about 2019, when I started looking into new generations of cryptocurrencies. Among them, Cardano particularly caught my attention. I especially appreciated its peer review system, the elaborate development plan, the eco-friendliness of the proof of stake concept, and from a practical standpoint, the speed and smoothness of transactions, the potential for contracts, and NFTs.
I bought some ADA, but I still missed something I had experienced with BTC — being directly involved in the creation of blocks. That’s why I eventually founded my own stake pool — it must be said, it was more of an experiment at first. Over time, managing the stake pool became a hobby that continually entertains, inspires, and pushes me forward.
What does it mean to be a mission-driven stake pool? And tell us about your mission? Why is it important to you?
After a few weeks of running the stake pool, I decided to operate CBROS as a mission-driven pool, and I chose to support Doctors Without Borders (MSF). This is a highly efficient humanitarian organization whose doctors and other staff I have always greatly admired and some of whom I know personally. However, I never found the courage to go on a mission with MSF, so running the CBROS pool is my way of helping them.
Currently, I am in contact with the office for donations of the Czech branch of MSF. I contribute a regular small amount and then extra amounts from the mined blocks. The CBROS pool is a small pool with a small number of delegators, but that doesn’t bother me at all, because over these three years of operation I’ve learned quite well how to run it. The operational costs are minimal, and I believe that my long-term effort will lead to the growth of the pool (just as the continuous efforts of the amazing Cardano community will continue to strengthen the entire ecosystem).
What are you most looking forward to with Cardano in 2024? Are there any particular protocols, dApps you are keeping your eye on?
What I look forward to is largely connected with the CBROS pool. I want to start operating another relay node, also launch a stake pool on the testnet (in 2021 I jumped straight into the mainnet), implement Mithril, and release NFTs for delegates created in Atari assembler.
My “real” life profession is demanding, so I take the work around the pool as a joy, a means of relaxation. My goals are long-term: I don’t think about the pool (or even Cardano) in terms of months, maybe not even years, but rather in terms of decades. For example, I am already thinking about who in the family I will one day pass the stake pool operations to.
Of course, like everyone in the community, I am eagerly awaiting new changes in the ecosystem such as the Chang hard fork, input endorsers, Midnight. And to be honest — I’m curious about the price of ADA and I don’t hide the fact that it pleases me when the price goes up :)
Great contribution. Any closing words? Where can people find you?
I believe in the power of blockchain, in the strength of Cardano, in the ability to change the world for the better through sophisticated systems and open-source software. I enjoy being a part of it, being there, enjoying building something, helping someone, learning something — all of this is made possible for me by Cardano and the CBROS stake pool.
And where can people find me? Just enter cbros.eu into your search engine :)
Peace! Martin from the CBROS pool.
Disclaimer: The opinions and views of the people interviewed are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Cardano Foundation or IOG. Moreover, this content is for educational purposes, it doesn’t constitute financial advice.
