Bootstrapping vs Funding: My Philosophy
When I started working on this project, I never really planned to raise money right away. I’ve always believed that most tech startups don’t need much funding at the early stage — and if they do, it might be a sign the idea isn’t strong enough yet.
There are a lot of tools out there now that make it easier to build something real without a massive budget. Google Cloud, AWS, and others all offer startup credits — in some cases, tens of thousands of dollars’ worth. If you find the right incubator, that can cover your infrastructure for months, if not longer.
For example, True Incubator in Thailand offers $25,000 USD in Google Cloud credits. That alone is enough to run a full backend and frontend setup with real users — especially if you’re staying lean.
I Agree With Elon (Sort Of)
Say what you will about Elon Musk — he’s a complicated guy these days — but I do agree with his stance that a good startup shouldn’t need funding. At least not at the start. Build first. Prove the value. Let the product speak for itself.
Too many people chase money before they’ve made something useful. That leads to pressure, dilution, and decisions that aren’t always aligned with the original vision.
My Approach
The goal for Tchaikovsky is to be self-funded as long as possible. If the product is good and people want to use it, that should generate enough traction to grow organically.
Keeping equity between co-founders is also important to me. If you give it away too early, you end up with less control when it matters most. I’d rather get to a stable user base and wait until Series A or something like it — when the company’s already proven, and funding can help us scale, not survive.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, I don’t think bootstrapping is some romantic ideal — it’s just practical. Especially for dev-heavy startups.
With the right tools, credits, and a bit of stubbornness, you can go surprisingly far without taking a dime.
That’s what I’m doing here. And honestly? It’s working.