Am working at a bootstrapped startup. Actually profitable. In a very competitive space. No VCs to answer to, no irresponsible burning of cash on marketing and bloating of engineering team. No AWS. No expensive SF office or lunches paid by VC money. Hiring is dictated by our revenue and profit growth, and no we don't spend VC money on absurdly overpriced engineers.

Because we're run super lean, we've been able to hire more and spend more on marketing during these tough times while businesses are downsizing or putting a halt on hiring/marketing dollars.

If the space you're getting into requires lots of capital, fundraising is unavoidable, but if you're thinking of even bootstrapping a company, it better be one that won't require a lot of capital (SaaS), and you need to run it lean.

It’s very viable. You just need to target a niche that’s too small for VCs to care for.

You wouldn’t be able to bootstrap Uber or AirBNB, because the markets they’re selling into are huge. However, there is an abundance of <10Bn-sized markets/industries out there that a VC wouldn’t think to invest in, where bootstrapped companies with a tech focus can grow and take over.

It’s not about viability anymore, if business takes a VC funding but if you honestly (and brutally honestly) think you can bootstrap then you have won the battle. VC funding is not a reversible step.