Decentralized technologies are often not truly decentralized. Bitcoin is often confused with the term cryptocurrency and grouped with other coins, but nothing could be further from the truth. Bitcoin stands alone in many areas of technology and protocol; however, we will not delve into those details here.

What does decentralized mean? What does Web 3 mean? What does crypto mean? Many terms are thrown around in the decentralized technology space, often misused or misunderstood. Some repeat what they’ve heard without knowing the differences, unintentionally misleading others.

At the core, people seek security, sovereignty, privacy, and freedom. The only technologies providing these are Bitcoin, NOSTR, eCash, and Lightning. Until NOSTR Fundraising, there had never been a value proposition capable of driving mass adoption of these “freedom technologies.” With NOSTR Fundraising, the value equation has been solved. Everything is simplified, focused, and supported with the education people need to learn on their own, rather than relying on others who may disappoint or expose them to third-party risks.

Everyone benefits—consumers, communities, small and large businesses, brands, employers, employees, non-profits, and online groups. For the first time, organizations of all sizes can form and operate in ways that were never possible before.

Steve Schroeder, Founder and CEO of Smart Community Technologies Inc. and NOSTR Fundraising, did not arrive at this mission through boardroom meetings or accelerators. His journey was shaped by personal trials. Surviving a cardiac arrest and raising a severely autistic child requiring 24/7 care during a pandemic molded him into who he was meant to be. These hardships opened his eyes and gave him a passion to serve others—especially in special needs communities, where people are often neglected, misunderstood, or left hopeless.

NOSTR Fundraising is built with purpose, combining technologies in ways not done before. Its goal is simple: to deliver value that encourages mass adoption of freedom technologies and to free people from the closed-source mentalities of existing systems. Steve believes true fulfillment comes from recognizing there is something greater than this life. He feels called to first care for his family and then for the wider world. His vision is for technology that uplifts and supports, not one that exploits users for data or profit.

Parenthood, Pain, and Purpose: How Caring for Gentry Transformed a Tech Visionary

Steve was always drawn to technology, but his deeper calling came when he became the full-time caregiver for his son Gentry, who is non-verbal, severely autistic, and requires constant supervision. Gentry, a gentle 300-pound presence, faced intense meltdowns and sensory sensitivities. For nearly five years, especially during the pandemic, Steve’s life revolved entirely around caregiving, without breaks or support.

That experience reshaped his identity. He is now writing “Special Needs Parents and Pandemics,” telling the story of a father who stepped into both parental roles during the most isolating time in modern history.

Now, living alone for the first time in 60 years, Steve reflects with humility. Twice married for 19 years each, his relationships were strained under the weight of special needs parenting. Today, he chooses to live guided by faith, empathy, and service.

From Survival to Significance: How Near-Death, Purpose, and Passion Became Steve’s Lifelong Fuel

Steve believes technology should not exist solely for profit, but for people. His caregiving years revealed how broken the systems are—burdened by red tape, outdated tools, and bureaucratic neglect of special needs communities.

A deeper turning point came in 2014, when Steve went into cardiac arrest and was without oxygen for over 20 minutes. Doctors gave him a 1% chance to live and 0% chance to avoid brain damage. Miraculously, he survived intact. Years later, he came to see this as a divine push toward service.

When asked what keeps him going, his answer is simple: “Others need me to keep going, because they can’t.” This belief fuels his drive to build tools that can empower billions worldwide.

From Loyalty Points to Lightning Networks: How Freedom Tech Sparked a Revolution

For over 25 years, Steve worked on customer loyalty and circular economy technologies. Yet something felt missing. Traditional tech didn’t align with the values he now embraced.

That changed in 2018, when he discovered Bitcoin. A floodgate opened. He immersed himself in cryptography, Austrian economics, open-source development, and monetary history. Raised to view money as something to fear, he had never been taught the truth about fiat currency and its post-1971 changes.

With this clarity, Steve saw the chance to build technology that empowers instead of exploits. Supported by a small advisory group of family and close allies, he sharpened his mission: to combine NOSTR, Bitcoin, eCash, and the Lightning Network into one seamless solution. The result—NOSTR Fundraising—redefines customer loyalty as community empowerment.

Building the Future of Digital Assets

Steve has been steadily advancing the platform and strengthening the technology at its core. For him, the priority is clear: shine the light on the innovation, not on himself. His role, as he describes it, is to help the technology succeed and deliver value to its users.

Even as platforms like TikTok launch services such as TikTok Pro in Europe, their technology is still built on protocols owned and controlled by corporations or individuals. That ownership model is the problem.

Freedom technologies such as Bitcoin, NOSTR, eCash, and Lightning are different. They remove human control and replace it with open, decentralized protocols where the source code is available to all. In this model, no single person or entity can dictate outcomes. Instead, value comes only through contribution. If everyone involved does not see value in a contribution, it is never adopted.

This reversal—shifting from control to contribution—is why freedom technologies are world-changing. For the first time in human history, protocols exist that belong to no one, yet invite everyone. Only improvements that benefit the entire community survive. Building on such technologies means building without the risks of ownership, manipulation, or control. For Steve, that is the heart of his mission: creating solutions that empower rather than exploit.

Breaking Free from the Tech Matrix: Why Smart Community Technologies Is Redefining Innovation

When Steve founded Smart Community Technologies in 2017, his vision was simple: build smarter tools to help communities. Today, that vision has grown into helping communities break free from tech giants that profit from data exploitation and algorithmic control.

NOSTR Fundraising is his biggest innovation yet. Using a simple subscription model makes decentralized fundraising both possible and sustainable. For many, it also introduces the idea of digital freedom for the first time.

When Steve first chose the name Smart Community Technologies, he didn’t realize how fitting it would become. Today, it reflects his mission to uplift people through sovereignty, peace, and digital independence.

From Boardrooms to Breakthroughs: How Big Brands Shaped the Vision

Long before NOSTR Fundraising, Steve tested early concepts with major brands such as Ford, Miller Coors, Pepsi, Applebee’s, Chili’s, Kids Bowl Free (with NFL and PGA), Sysco, Ruth’s Chris, Papa John’s, and Hilton Hotels.

The results were striking. At Ford, a boardroom presentation earned him a standing ovation and a pilot program in Palm Beach. At Miller Coors, where they were losing 80/20 to Budweiser in 10 bowling centers, Steve reversed the ratio to 80/20 in Miller’s favor within 60 days—at zero cost.

These experiences showed him the power of simple, effective ideas—even when the tech wasn’t fully ready. Today, he believes NOSTR Fundraising is a hundred times more powerful than anything he built back then. Whether by fate or faith, those moments were stepping stones in a greater journey.

Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Steve’s advice is straightforward: If your business benefits you but harms those closest to you, it’s not the right path. Innovation should never come at the cost of relationships. Prioritize your spouse, children, family, and community before yourself.

Lasting success isn’t found in applause, fame, or financial wins—it comes through service. The earlier you shift from seeking recognition to seeking purpose, the richer your life will be.