Comments on: Bootstrapping and Innovation, don’t go together? http://rajanand.biz/2009/10/07/bootstrapping-and-innovation-dont-go-together/ Digital Business Innovators Thu, 02 Jun 2011 08:38:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: rajanand http://rajanand.biz/2009/10/07/bootstrapping-and-innovation-dont-go-together/comment-page-1/#comment-499 rajanand Wed, 07 Oct 2009 23:47:35 +0000 http://rajanand.biz/?p=409#comment-499 Perhaps the way to go is to get a limited number of angel investors on board as oppose to a VC. Venture funding initially could perhaps stifle innovation. Perhaps the way to go is to get a limited number of angel investors on board as oppose to a VC. Venture funding initially could perhaps stifle innovation.

]]> By: Tim Panton http://rajanand.biz/2009/10/07/bootstrapping-and-innovation-dont-go-together/comment-page-1/#comment-498 Tim Panton Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:45:18 +0000 http://rajanand.biz/?p=409#comment-498 We had the reverse experience, we wasted 6 months of potential innovation time talking to VCs too early. We have now gone back to bootstrapping. We are careful about the consulting we do it needs to be either: a) lucrative, short term but irrelevant to the start up or b) longer term, relevant to the startup (so we can transfer experience gained) but not a direct competitor. We will probably go back for VC investment at some point, but that will be to fund _growth_ not innovation. We had the reverse experience, we wasted 6 months of potential innovation time talking to VCs too early. We have now gone back to bootstrapping.
We are careful about the consulting we do it needs to be either:
a) lucrative, short term but irrelevant to the start up
or
b) longer term, relevant to the startup (so we can transfer experience gained) but not a direct competitor.

We will probably go back for VC investment at some point, but that will be to fund _growth_ not innovation.

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