VC Cafe

MARCH 16, 2025

Mention that you do “Consumer tech” as a startup founder and you’d be limiting your funding options to one third of the venture capital funds (in Israel that figure is probably closer to 10%). Until now, consumer tech was perceived as a risky binary investment.

Technical Review 78

Technical Review B2C Generative AI IPO 78

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 6, 2019

Self-funding or bootstrapping is still the most common and safest approach for startups Keep your day job until real revenue flows. After bootstrapping, friends and family are the most common funding sources for early-stage startups. Bartering technically means exchanging goods or services as a substitute for money.

Finance 320

Finance Intellectual Property Technical Review Incubator 320

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 19, 2013

Self-funding or bootstrapping is still the most common and safest approach for startups Keep your day job until revenue starts to flow. After bootstrapping, friends and family are the most common funding sources for early-stage startups. Bartering technically means exchanging goods or services as a substitute for money.

Intellectual Property 309

Intellectual Property Technical Review Venture Capital Startup 309

Gust

DECEMBER 15, 2013

There is so much written these days about how to attract investors that most entrepreneurs “assume” they need funding, and don’t even consider a plan for “bootstrapping,” or self-financing their startup. Of course, every company needs these, in due time. Invested Interests bootstrapping entrepreneur investor startup'

Bootstrapping 183

Bootstrapping Sweat Equity Entrepreneur Technical Review 183

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 14, 2014

Self-funding or bootstrapping is still the most common and safest approach for startups Keep your day job until revenue starts to flow. After bootstrapping, friends and family are the most common funding sources for early-stage startups. Bartering technically means exchanging goods or services as a substitute for money.

Entrepreneur 283

Entrepreneur Intellectual Property Technical Review Incubator 283

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 4, 2022

Self-funding or bootstrapping is still the most common and safest approach for startups Keep your day job until revenue starts to flow. After bootstrapping, friends and family are the most common funding sources for early-stage startups. Bartering technically means exchanging goods or services as a substitute for money.

Intellectual Property 261

Intellectual Property Technical Review Incubator Bootstrapping 261

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 12, 2021

Tiny bootstrapped teams usually don’t have a business plan, and probably don’t need one. Although the major crowd funding sites today, including Kickstarter and Indiegogo , don’t technically require a business plan, they do demand essentially the same information in a project format. You need money, and plan to do crowdfunding.

Business Plan 316

Business Plan Technical Review Angel Investor Due Diligence 316

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

JULY 19, 2010

Their products are over-priced, buggy, lacking features, and every experience I've had with their tech support has been atrocious, but man their stuff looks and feels nice! Indeed, most of the innovations we've made at Smart Bear in the art of code review have already been duplicated by both commercial and open-source competitors.

Software Review 325

Software Review Technical Review Development Team Review Bolivia 325

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 29, 2020

They don’t realize that according to many experts , more than 90 percent of satisfied entrepreneurs use bootstrapping, since other people’s money always comes with strings, most of them negative. Bootstrapping gives you the flexibility to explore creative alternatives. You left your corporate job to get away from budgets.

Bootstrapping 310

Bootstrapping Advisory Board Startup Venture Capital 310

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 30, 2019

Self-funding or bootstrapping is still the most common and safest approach for startups Keep your day job until revenue starts to flow. After bootstrapping, friends and family are the most common funding sources for early-stage startups. Bartering technically means exchanging goods or services as a substitute for money.

Intellectual Property 219

Intellectual Property Technical Review Startup Incubator 219

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 25, 2020

Of course, if you are able to bootstrap your startup, and don’t anticipate the need for outside investors, you can technically ignore the first two points. You probably will do that job poorly, unless you plan your exit early, to move on to your next startup role, to do that better the next time.

Exit Strategy 376

Exit Strategy Startup Private Equity Equity 376

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 9, 2023

Most technical entrepreneurs focus hard on building an innovative product, but forget that an elegant solution doesn’t automatically translate into a successful business. Defining the right business model requires the same diligence as designing the right product, but the approach and skills required are different.

Technical Review 220

Technical Review Advisory Board Software Review Business Model 220

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 13, 2012

There is so much written these days about how to attract investors that most entrepreneurs “assume” they need funding, and don’t even consider a plan for “bootstrapping,” or self-financing their startup. Of course, every company needs these, in due time. You need a prototype. You need specialized equipment. Marty Zwilling.

Sweat Equity 239

Sweat Equity Technical Review Bootstrapping Equity 239

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

OCTOBER 11, 2010

Ask a technical founder about his startup, and he'll proudly describe his stunning software — simple, compelling, useful, fun. We're going to get reviews on blogs.". The idea of editing and review is so embedded in your industry you can't imagine life without it, and you're right! Infection built-in, not bolt-on.

Software Review 261

Software Review Technical Review Viral Software Developers 261

YoungUpstarts

OCTOBER 21, 2012

Bootstrap, bootstrap, bootstrap. His point is really that sales is so critical to the survival of the business that the sales process should be accelerated – hiring the right sales people with the right attitudes, leveraging existing customers, and employing technology to support the sales process. His advice?

Technical Review 184

Technical Review Entrepreneur Bootstrapping Sales 184

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

There is so much written these days about how to attract investors that most entrepreneurs “assume” they need funding, and don’t even consider a plan for “bootstrapping,” or self-financing their startup. Of course, every company needs these, in due time. You need a prototype. You need specialized equipment. Marty Zwilling.

Sweat Equity 255

Sweat Equity Technical Review Entrepreneur Bootstrapping 255

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 25, 2012

For example, with any outside investment, you give up some ownership and control, and with bootstrapping your growth curve will likely be longer and more organic. Following is my prioritized larger list of sources, with some “rules of thumb” which may save you a lot of time and energy: Bootstrapping. Friends and family.

Technical Review 257

Technical Review Bootstrapping Venture Capital Incubator 257

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

JULY 12, 2010

Between this blog and reviewing applications to Capital Factory I see hundreds of pitches a year. Software patents are especially useless for small, bootstrapped startups. This is part 1 of the series: 5 Lessons from 150 startup pitches. Except in certain industries (e.g. We're better at SEO and social media.

Intellectual Property 319

Intellectual Property Bootstrapping Software Review Open Source 319

VC Cafe

JANUARY 22, 2021

A few months ago, VC Cafe launched a series on startup engagement and outreach programs of large tech companies. Amazon Corporate Development – Notable acquisitions include Whole Foods ($13.7B), smart doorbell system Ring ($1.2B, 2018) and autonomous mobility technology Zoox ($1.2bn). AI startups in the Alexa Fund portfolio.

Technical Review 174

Technical Review Startup Venture Capital Incubator 174

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 7, 2014

Tiny bootstrapped teams usually don’t have a business plan, and probably don’t need one. Although the major crowd funding sites today, including Kickstarter and Indiegogo , don’t technically require a business plan, they do demand essentially the same information in a project format. You need money, and plan to do crowdfunding.

Business Plan 274

Business Plan Technical Review Angel Investor Due Diligence 274

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 11, 2022

In the US, a nonprofit is technically any company who qualifies as tax exempt through IRS Section 501(c). For a nonprofit, bootstrapping is self-funding from donations and fund-raising. Examples include charitable organizations, trade unions, and public arts organizations. Individual and institutional philanthropy. Government grants.

Angel Investor 327

Angel Investor Equity Technical Review Exit Strategy 327

Occam's Razor

DECEMBER 3, 2008

3) I am simply assuming you are good at tools and some technical stuff and some business stuff. The first and perhaps most important thing to realize that you have to make two very important very critical very life impacting choices: Choice 1: Business or Technical. Tech Demo God (usually at a Vendor). Motivating them.

Technical Review 115

Technical Review Analytics Salary Fractional CTO 115

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 14, 2013

With bootstrapping, no business plan is expected by anyone. Although technically the major crowd funding sites today, including Kickstarter and Indiegogo , don’t request a business plan, they do require essentially the same information in a project format. You need money, and plan to do crowdfunding.

Business Plan 250

Business Plan Technical Review Entrepreneur Angel Investor 250

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

APRIL 25, 2011

— of someone of my age and experience walking in here and demanding such outrageous compensation, someone who, let’s be clear, is technically too young to even enter into a legal consulting agreement in the first place. Maybe I would receive a condescending talking-to about the audacity — nay, the impudence!

Java 311

Java Software Review Technical Review Salary 311

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 26, 2022

They don’t realize that according to many experts , more than 90 percent of satisfied entrepreneurs use bootstrapping, since other people’s money always comes with strings, most of them negative. Bootstrapping gives you the flexibility to explore creative alternatives. You left your corporate job to get away from budgets.

Cost 267

Cost Bootstrapping Advisory Board Startup 267

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 16, 2011

For example, with any outside investment, you give up some ownership and control, and with bootstrapping your growth curve will likely be longer and more organic. Following is my prioritized larger list of sources, with some “rules of thumb” which may save you a lot of time and energy: Bootstrapping. Friends and family.

Technical Review 233

Technical Review Bootstrapping Startup Venture Capital 233

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

NOVEMBER 5, 2014

Or seen a review of an iPhone app hung up on pricing trivialities: “It would be pretty good at $0.99, but it’s not worth $1.99.” Requires venture funding because you have no income, and if you’re successful you’ll need lots of people and tech to run the business. simple enough to be self-service).

Bootstrapping 294

Bootstrapping Technical Review B2C Sales Cycle 294

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 5, 2009

Hopefully this will get more bootstrapping entrepreneurs focusing on making money instead of raising money. Reply Week 2 – Customer Discovery & Listening « Iain’s Chips & Tech , on November 6, 2009 at 9:44 am Said: [.] Raising Money Using Customer Development « Steve Blank [.]

Customer Development 270

Customer Development Developer Customer Silicon Valley 270

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 1, 2017

Self-funding or bootstrapping is still the most common and safest approach for startups Keep your day job until revenue starts to flow. After bootstrapping, friends and family are the most common funding sources for early-stage startups. Bartering technically means exchanging goods or services as a substitute for money.

Product Development 177

Product Development Cost Developer Product 177

YoungUpstarts

AUGUST 24, 2015

By bootstrapping, bartering, reducing overheads (rental and manpower), and leveraging technology (especially the web), one can start one’s own business almost on a dime without being beholden to creditors or venture capitalists. Software Developer: From “App developer” to “We provide technology solutions to take your headaches away”.

Technical Review 100

Technical Review Software Review South Carolina Startup 100

YoungUpstarts

DECEMBER 2, 2019

Not only does the outsourcing business model improve performance and reduce a company’s overall costs – a significant appeal to bootstrapped startups – but it also gives you access to a worldwide talent pool that would otherwise be beyond your range. is the single biggest outsourcing country globally.

Technical Review 147

Technical Review Due Diligence Technical Support Bootstrapping 147

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

Of course, if you are able to bootstrap your startup, and don’t anticipate the need for outside investors, you can technically ignore the first two points. You probably will do that job poorly, unless you plan your exit early, to move on to your next startup role, to do that better the next time.

Exit Strategy 289

Exit Strategy Entrepreneur IPO Startup 289

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 17, 2021

I recently found the classic sales training book “ Bootstrap Selling The Sandler Way ,” by Bill Morrison, who has 20 years in sales leadership roles, and I was amazed at how many of his sales lessons are great lessons for new entrepreneurs as well. Push marketing doesn’t work well today, in the age of interactive networking and peer reviews.

Sales 348

Sales Startup Bootstrapping Technical Review 348

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 7, 2020

Things such as driver-less cars and new medicines are far more than a technology challenge. New drugs usually fall in this category, due to side-effect testing. These are ones you need to bootstrap, crowdfund or pitch to friends and family. You need a big differentiator in these arenas.

New York City 315

New York City Silicon Valley Startup Bootstrapping 315

The Next Web

OCTOBER 3, 2012

Andrew is the co-founder and CTO of Parse.ly , a technology startup that provides big data insights to the web’s best publishers. Startups die due to a variety of causes. I have witnessed startup failures that were due to predictable co-founder conflicts. Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Andrew Montalenti.

Cofounder 155

Cofounder Technical Cofounder Technical Review Software Review 155

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 25, 2023

Of course, if you are able to bootstrap your startup, and don’t anticipate the need for outside investors, you can technically ignore the first two points. You probably will do that job poorly, unless you plan your exit early, to move on to your next startup role, to do that better the next time.

Exit Strategy 264

Exit Strategy Private Equity Equity Technical Review 264

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 3, 2011

In the US, a non-profit is technically any company who qualifies as tax exempt through IRS Section 501(c). For a non-profit, bootstrapping is self-funding from donations and fund-raising. Examples include charitable organizations, trade unions, and public arts organizations. Individual and institutional donations. Government grants.

Angel Investor 238

Angel Investor Technical Review Exit Strategy Equity 238