Fortitude is a Zcash ecosystem leader and the first institutional venture mining platform, deploying digital asset infrastructure across high-conviction opportunities.

Fortitude is a Zcash ecosystem leader and the first institutional venture mining platform, deploying digital asset infrastructure across high-conviction opportunities.

The vertically integrated Zcash play

The Fortitude Opportunity

Amplified early-stage exposure in Zcash through a diversified, vertically-integrated mining platform.

What we do

  • Leading Zcash miner
  • Owner-operator of data centers​
  • Venture miner focused on early-stage Proof-of-Work networks

Operational expertise

  • Machine procurement and fleet management at scale​
  • Mining Proof-of-Work assets since 2019*
  • Vertically integrated operations anchored by owned data centers​

* Includes principals of Fortitude and predecessor entity​

Opportunity

  • Differentiated Zcash investment exposure​
  • ROIC driven by disciplined capital allocation​
  • Upside optionality embedded within business

Leaders

The team behind Fortitude.

Operators, engineers, and capitol allocators who have built and run institutional-grade infrastructure across markets.

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Andrea Childs

CEO

Andrea Childs

Andrea is the founding CEO of Fortitude Mining and has been active in the bitcoin mining industry since 2018.

Before Fortitude Mining’s spin-off, Andrea joined Foundry in January 2020 as its second employee. There, she played a pivotal role in developing the mining, operations, and marketing functions. Over the past seven years, Andrea has cultivated deep expertise in the mining sector and established strong connections with key industry players.

Before entering the digital asset space, Andrea began her career as a chemist and spent a significant part of her career at a scientific distribution company in product development, product and category management, and brand manager roles. She holds a master’s degree in chemistry and an MBA from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), and an undergraduate degree from the University of Kentucky.

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Erik Ellingson

CFO

Erik Ellingson

Erik Ellingson is the Chief Financial Officer of Fortitude Mining, with over a decade of experience spanning finance, M&A, and digital infrastructure. He brings deep domain expertise in bitcoin mining and digital asset investing, with a background that bridges both traditional finance and the crypto ecosystem.

Before joining Fortitude, Erik served as CFO and Board Member of Block Mining, where he led the company through a successful sale to Riot Platforms in 2024. Previously, he was a partner and fund leader at a Chicago-based digital asset investment firm, focused on infrastructure and growth-stage investments across the crypto sector. Earlier in his career, Erik held roles in traditional finance at Wells Fargo, where he led strategic portfolio acquisitions within the asset-backed finance group, with a focus on industrial and energy markets. He then joined Lincoln International as an investment banker, advising on and executing M&A, Special Situations and Debt Capital Markets transactions.

Erik holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a BS from Elmhurst University.

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Alex Travis

Chief Legal Officer & General Counsel

Alex Travis

Alexander K. Travis is the Chief Legal Officer & General Counsel of Fortitude Mining, having joined the Company in 2025 after nearly a decade of experience in the crypto/web3 and mining space. Alex brings deep expertise in crypto mining, data center development and operations, and power procurement and strategy, having previously played a leading role in the sourcing, acquisition, and development of crypto-mining focused data centers in the United States, with over 1.7 gigawatts (GW) of total available capacity. Alex’s legal background focuses on mergers & acquisitions, US securities and tax laws, and compliance, all with a particular focus on the crypto/web3 space.

Before joining Fortitude, Alex served as Senior Securities & Web3 Counsel for Xsolla, a large e-commerce platform focused on the video games space. Prior to Xsolla, Alex served as SVP and Deputy General Counsel of Riot Platforms, Inc. (Nasdaq: “RIOT”), from 2021 through 2024, after having previously served as external counsel since 2018. At Riot, Alex oversaw the operations of the company’s legal department, growing it from two attorneys to a team of eight attorneys and a Senior Corporate Paralegal, as well as its public company reporting and acted as principal counsel for its capital markets strategy, helping the company to raise over $2 billion in public capital investments to fuel the company’s rapid growth. In addition to his capital markets role, Alex played an instrumental role in the development and execution of Riot’s vertical integration strategy, acting as primary legal counsel in connection with Riot’s acquisition of new miners, growing its fleet from 0.38 exahash (EH/s) to over 38 EH/s in under four years; the acquisition and development of its two hyperscale data centers in central Texas, with a combined available power supply in excess of 1.7GW; and the development, sourcing, and implementation of over 400 megawatts (MW) of highly advanced liquid immersion cooling infrastructure, representing one of the largest deployments of immersion cooling by any data center operator. Prior to joining Riot, Alex was a private attorney in Jacksonville, Florida, where he advised clients primarily on securities, tax, and mergers & acquisitions.

Alex is licensed to practice law by the Florida Bar Association and he holds three degrees from the University of Florida (LL.M. (Taxation) – 2017, a J.D. – 2016, and a bachelor’s degree – 2012), where he first became involved in the bitcoin/crypto space, acquiring his first bitcoin after attending a lecture on digital money, freedom, and applied cryptography.

Alex is also an active member of his community, presently serving on the advisory board of the First Coast YMCA, and previously having served on the board of directors of Jacksonville Vision, Inc., a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting business development in downtown Jacksonville, Florida.

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Ben Thomison

Senior Vice President, Mining Operations

Ben Thompson

Ben Thomison is the Senior Vice President of Operations at Fortitude Mining, having joined the company in April 2026. He brings extensive experience in leading large-scale mining infrastructure, site operations, repair functions, fleet management, construction coordination, and operational optimization.

Ben has held senior leadership roles across the mining sector, including Director of Operations at BGIN / IceRiver, Vice President of Mining at Mawson Infrastructure, and Operations Director at Phoenix Group.

Throughout his career, Ben has led multi-site mining operations, supported new site deployments, developed operational systems, improved miner performance, and built scalable processes across field operations, repair, inventory, construction, and network teams.

He brings a hands-on, execution-focused leadership style rooted in field operations and accountability. His focus is on building reliable, efficient mining operations that enhance uptime, maximize asset performance, and support long-term growth.

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Ryan Lowery

Head of Power and Infrastructure

Ryan Lowery

Ryan leads the Power and Infrastructure division at Fortitude, driving the development of energy strategies that support the company’s Bitcoin mining operations. With extensive experience in utility-scale energy procurement, site development, and data center infrastructure, Ryan plays a critical role in ensuring access to reliable, cost-effective, and scalable power solutions.

His expertise spans power purchase agreements (PPAs), grid interconnection, and the integration of renewable and stranded energy assets—key to optimizing mining efficiency and long-term sustainability. Ryan also oversees the buildout of high-density electrical infrastructure and works closely with utilities, regulators, and local partners to support compliant, energy-efficient operations across multiple jurisdictions.

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Patrick O'Hara

Senior Director, Strategy & FP&A

Patrick O'Hara

Patrick O’Hara is the Senior Director of Strategy and Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) at Fortitude Mining, bringing over a decade of experience across finance, M&A, capital markets, and digital infrastructure.

Before joining Fortitude, Patrick served as an investment banker at XMS Capital Partners, advising clients on strategy, M&A, and equity and debt capital raising, with a focus on digital assets and digital infrastructure.  Since 2015, he completed advisory assignment for clients including Aon, Core Scientific, Edwards Lifesciences, Federal-Mogul, Riot Platforms, Veritiv, and others.  He also served as Vice President of Power & Digital Infrastructure Acquisition II Corp., a SPAC which successfully merged with AirJoule Technologies.

Patrick graduated magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and a supplemental major in Applied and Computational Mathematics.  Patrick has also passed all three levels of the CFA Program examinations

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Alexis Brock

Director of Marketing & Communications

Alexis Brock

Alexis is the Director of Marketing and Communications at Fortitude Mining, having joined the Company in April 2026.

Before joining Fortitude, Alexis served as Director of Executive Communications at Flex, a global contract manufacturing company and leader in cooling and compute infrastructure for AI/HPC data centers. Prior to Flex, Alexis led Communications at Riot Platforms, Inc. (Nasdaq: RIOT) from 2022 through 2025, a Bitcoin-driven industry leader in the development of large-scale data centers and Bitcoin mining applications in the United States, with over 1.7 gigawatts (GW) of total available capacity. Alexis oversaw brand strategy, public relations, and served as an Associate supporting Riot’s power development initiatives.

Prior to Riot, Alexis worked in private wealth management, helping advisors move off traditional wirehouses and build more independent, decentralized practices using modern portfolio management systems. Through that work, she was introduced to digital assets.

Alexis holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Business from the University of California, San Diego, with a concentration in East Asian Studies focused on business methods, regional economics, and international relations. She also holds a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Public Policy.

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Lindsay Ciccoricco

Executive Business Partner

Lindsay Ciccoricco

Lindsay is the Executive Business Partner at Fortitude Mining, where she works in close partnership with senior leadership to support enterprise execution and operational effectiveness. With over 12 years of experience across finance, administration, and operations, she delivers high-impact support that strengthens decision-making, continuity, and organizational performance.

Lindsay manages critical projects, coordinates cross-functional efforts, and ensures operational priorities are executed efficiently. She holds a master’s degree in education, which underpins her clear communication style and ability to operate effectively within the crypto and mining sector.

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Board of Directors

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Simon Koster

Board Member

Simon Koster

Simon Koster is the Chief Strategy Officer at DCG, the most active investor and incubator in blockchain, digital assets, and other decentralized technologies. As CSO, Simon leads the investment team, managing the portfolio comprised of digital assets, wholly owned subsidiaries (Grayscale, Foundry, and Luno), and more than 250+ companies early stage companies in over 35 nations across the world. Prior to his current role, Simon was the CEO of Real Estate at DCG, spearheading both internal and external real estate ventures. Previously, he served as CEO of The Collective and brings a decade of real estate experience from JDS Development Group, where he was instrumental in the acquisition and development of top-tier residential, hospitality, and mixed-use projects in New York City and Miami. He is a graduate of Rutgers University (B.S.) and holds a Master’s degree in Engineering from the University of Michigan.
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Andrea Childs

CEO, Board Member

Andrea Childs

Andrea is the founding CEO of Fortitude Mining and has been active in the bitcoin mining industry since 2018.

Before Fortitude Mining’s spin-off, Andrea joined Foundry in January 2020 as its second employee. There, she played a pivotal role in developing the mining, operations, and marketing functions. Over the past seven years, Andrea has cultivated deep expertise in the mining sector and established strong connections with key industry players.

Before entering the digital asset space, Andrea began her career as a chemist and spent a significant part of her career at a scientific distribution company in product development, product and category management, and brand manager roles. She holds a master’s degree in chemistry and an MBA from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), and an undergraduate degree from the University of Kentucky.

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Jason Yacavone

Board Member

Jason Yacavone

Jason is the Managing Director at DCG, the most active investor and incubator in blockchain, digital assets, and other decentralized technologies. Jason joined the DCG team in 2021 after eight years at Moore Capital Management, where he invested across the capital structure. Prior to his time at Moore, Jason spent eight years at Bank of America Merrill Lynch with a focus on leveraged and distressed credit. As Director of Investments, Jason is tasked with identifying opportunities in the public markets, while also helping to support the team’s digital currency and private equity investments. Jason graduated from College of the Holy Cross (BA) and Harvard Business School (MBA).

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Backed by DCG

Our relationship with DCG, one of the longest-standing institutional investors in digital assets, gives us unique access to proprietary research, deep ecosystem relationship, and a foundation built on identifying and acting on transformative opportunities early.

THE ASSET

Why Zcash’s Time is Now

Bitcoin gives the world a decentralized digital currency. Zcash adds what Bitcoin is missing: privacy.

Built on Bitcoin's Foundation

Built on Bitcoin’s proven foundation-Proof-of-Work security, a fixed 21mm supply, and a four-year halving cycle, Zcash inherits Bitcoin’s scarcity and decentralized resilience while solving private limitations.

Increased Need for Financial Privacy and Quantum Resistance

  • 137 countries comprising 98% of global GDP are exploring CBDCs*
  • On-chain analytics make pseudonymity of most legacy cryptocurrency networks illusory
  • Rapid advances in AI have the potential to threaten the security of legacy financial systems
  • The market is increasingly focused on the risk posed by quantum computing to other cryptocurrencies

* Atlantic Council, Central Bank Digital Currency Tracker (as of July 2025)

At a Time When Zcash Functionality is Improving

  • Network improvements have reduced proving time required for shielded transactions, improving usability
  • Zodl (fka Zoshi) wallet launch in April 2024 makes Zcash shielded transactions mobile-friendly and more accessible
  • Shielded transactions significantly reduce the surface area of a potential future quantum attack
  • Significant fundraising and business development momentum in the Zcash ecosystem sets the stage for further advancement

THESIS

Why Zcash Now?

1.Rising consumer and investor interest in privacy.Due to global financial surveillance and geopolitical instability.

2. We’re early. Zcash ecosystem is where Solana was in 2020 or Bitcoin in 2016 but benefits with the added privacy capability.

3. Similarities to BTC as a store of value. 21mm capped supply, PoW mining, 4-year halving likely to resonate with investors.

4. Continuously evolving technology.Opt-in privacy developed and continuously improved by a world-class team.

5. Early BTC investors desire to run the BTC playbook again. Perception that BTC ecosystem and ethos have changed amidst strong government and Wall Street adoption.

6. Quantum resilience and scalability.Actively being addressed in planned network improvements via Orchard Quantum Recoverability and Tachyon, respectively.

HIGH CONVICTION

Zcash is a High Conviction Investment Opportunity

Shared Bitcoin Properties

PoW security, 21mm supply, 4-year halving, decentralized network.

Privacy

Privacy unlocks Zcash differentiation. Quantum risk inherently reduced by shielded design.

Quantum Resistance

Quantum risk inherently reduced by shielded design. Orchard Quantum Recoverability planned.

Scalability

Tachyon network improvement creates easier institutional acceptance.

Are you interested in working together?

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