Should You Bootstrap or Go for VC Funding?

+ weekly list of handpicked startup events for founders and investors in London

Author

Vasily Alekseenko
November 10, 2024

Should You Bootstrap or Go for VC Funding?

If you’re launching a startup, you’re likely facing the question: should you bootstrap or pursue venture capital funding? Each option shapes how you’ll build your MVP and move forward. Let’s break it down because it’s not a one-size-fits-all answer.

Bootstrapping: The Flexible Path

For most founders, bootstrapping is the best and often the only practical option. It means building your MVP and getting your product into customers’ hands without external funding, which can offer more control, fewer obligations, and a stable growth path. Most startups don’t need millions up front. Instead, they grow by focusing on early revenue and refining product-market fit on their own terms.

Bootstrapping lets you iterate and adapt at your own pace. Without pressure from investors to show immediate high growth, you can focus on sustainability and customer needs. If your goal isn’t to be the next Google, bootstrapping can be ideal for building a profitable business without losing control or feeling rushed.

When Venture Capital Makes Sense

VC funding is designed for high-growth companies that need significant cash to scale quickly. If your MVP needs major upfront investment—like complex tech infrastructure or a large user base—VC can provide the runway to get there.

VCs aren’t giving out free money; they’re seeking returns of 100x or even 1000x. If your product doesn’t have that potential, the VC path might not make sense. For many straightforward products or service-oriented businesses, bootstrapping offers a simpler path to success. And that’s perfectly okay.

The Reality of VC-Funded Success

Contrary to popular belief, VC funding isn’t a fast track to wealth. Only a small fraction of startups go public or get acquired, and even fewer end up as unicorns. Many founders build profitable, sustainable companies without ever touching venture money. In fact, most of the world’s wealthiest entrepreneurs didn’t start with VC; they relied on real estate, stock investments, or simply a successful bootstrapped business.

Finding Your Path

Ultimately, the decision depends on your goals. VC funding is for startups aiming for rapid growth and market dominance, but it comes with pressure and high expectations. Bootstrapping, by contrast, allows you to grow sustainably and retain full control.

If you’re unsure, start by bootstrapping to build a strong MVP and test the market. Some of the best businesses didn’t have massive funding—they focused on value and smart growth. So as you work on your MVP, think about your vision, your business needs, and choose the path that aligns with your long-term goals.

RARE FOUNDERS EVENTS❤️

Rare Founders & Hotbed

Founders Pitch Relay

​Ever wondered how others pitch your startup when you're not in the room?

​After the remarkable success and feedback from our first ever Pitch Relay collab, Rare Founders and Hotbed are joining forces for their second Pitch Relay event, a first-of-its-kind pitch challenge where you'll get to understand how your pitch evolves through different perspectives in a chain reaction of communication.

In-person event

Google Cloud Startup Hub, 4-5 Bonhill St, London, EC2A 4BX, UK

Mon 11 Nov, 18:00 - 21:00 GMT

Rare Founders & SeedLegals

Female Founders Night

Join us for Female Founders Night, an evening dedicated to celebrating and supporting female founders, hosted in partnership with SeedLegals. This event brings together female founders, allies, investors, and supporters who believe in the power of female-led startups. It’s a unique opportunity to connect, learn, and grow in a welcoming space.

In-person event

Google Cloud Startup Hub, 4-5 Bonhill St, London, EC2A 4BX, UK

Mon 18 Nov, 18:00 - 21:00 GMT

Rare Founders

Building a Business While Navigating Motherhood

Join us for “Redefining Success: Building a Business While Navigating Motherhood. The event will feature an interactive panel and open discussion on the unique challenges faced by founders who are balancing the pressures of two full-time roles—building a business and modern-day motherhood.

In-person event

Google Cloud Startup Hub, 4-5 Bonhill St, London, EC2A 4BX, UK

Wed 20 Nov, 18:00 - 21:00 GMT

Rare Founders

The Rare Factor: B2B & B2C SaaS Live Demos

​Get ready for The Rare Factor! On December 9th, we’re putting a comedic twist on the classic X-Factor format, specifically crafted for B2B and B2C SaaS startups. This isn’t just another pitch event—it’s a live showdown where 8 selected companies will showcase their products in real time.

The last day to apply for b2b & b2c SaaS startups is on Mon, 25h of Nov. Apply now.

In-person event

Google Cloud Startup Hub, 4-5 Bonhill St, London, EC2A 4BX, UK

Mon 4 Nov, 18:00 - 21:00 GMT

OTHER LONDON EVENTS🌟

Mountside Ventures

Emerging VC Manager Programme

​This virtual meeting is for any VC interested in knowing more about Mountside Ventures’ Emerging VC Manager programme kicking off at the end of January 2025.

Online event

Mon 11 Nov, 11:00 - 12:00 GMT

Ginni AI

Second-Time Exited Founders

​Join Mai Medhat, founder of Ginni AI and Eventtus (acquired by Bevy), and Jon Edward Santillan, founder of OCTA and Denarii (acquired by Careem), for an open and honest fireside chat about their entrepreneurial journeys. In this candid conversation, they’ll dive into their exit stories, what it’s really like to start over after a successful acquisition, and the unique challenges of fundraising as second-time founders.

Online event

Tue 12 Nov, 12:00 - 13:00 GMT

Hatch Enterprise

Creating Content for Different Platforms

Join this live session to learn about what type of content works best for different platforms.

  • What content works best for different platforms

  • How to repurpose the same content for different platforms

Online event

Tue 12 Nov, 12:00 - 12:45 GMT

BuildCo Community

How To Scale After Your First 100 Users

​Welcome to Dads Building Companies Event 2!

​The last turnout was epic; 50 Dads chatting about Dad things, and fundraising.

​The theme will be marketing: How To Scale After Your First 100 Users.

In-person event

Hoxton area, London, UK

Wed 13 Nov, 18:30 - 21:30 GMT

​Thim Ventures & FirstMondayVC

The Early Adopter, Finding Your First Customers

​Join this angel investor meetup. A relaxed way for angels from different communities to meet, connect, and share opportunities.

​In partnership with Sequel, who are hosting this event at their lovely office space.

In-person event

Sequel - 10 Storey’s Gate, Clutha House Floor 3, SW1P 3AY, London, UK

Thu 14 Nov, 18:30 - 21:30 GMT

Incisive Ventures

Why Now?

Join a legend of the US VC word, Martin Tobias, who will share his thoughts on the importance of Inflection points of how to tell a compelling "why now?" story when founders are pitching your business to investors.

Online event

Thu 14 Nov, 01:00 - 02:00 GMT

Plugged

Founder Collab Day: Co-Working, Fundraising Workshops & Dinner

​Join this founder-focused day of co-working, problem-solving, and hands-on fundraising workshops at The PlugHouse—a space built for the ambitious. Dive into expert-led sessions from Fundraising Playbooks and Big Uppetite, and tackle real-world challenges with like-minded founders. After a productive day, unplug with dinner, games, and relaxed networking—because building connections should be as fun as it is impactful!

In-person event

Hoxton area, London, UK

Thu 7 Nov, 09:30 - 20:00 GMT

PARTNER OPPORTUNITIES🌿

Block Dojo

Applications for Q1 2025 cohort are closing soon

Block Dojo is a London-based Web3 and AI venture builder running three 12-week programs per year. They invest £10k in early-stage founders (idea or pre-MVP) and provide access to their design team, developers, financial modellers, and partner credits with companies like Google Cloud. Valued at £250k, the program is completely free for founders. At the end, startups pitch their MVPs to investors at a showcase event. In the past two years, Block Dojo has launched 71 companies, including 8 in the Philippines. Applications for the next cohort, starting January 2025, are now open for 8-10 new companies.

Application deadline: 1st Dec, 2024.

Vasily Alekseenko
Founder
@ Rare Founders

Rare Founders - building the bridge between founders and investors via regular in-person and online events, meetups, conferences.

Reply

or to participate.