Both bootstrapping and VC funding offer unique advantages and drawbacks for starting and expanding a business. : By Eddie Lou, co-founder of CodaPet and OneGoal, venture partner at Mercury Fund, and an active angel investor. As an entrepreneur, one of the biggest decisions I have had to face when building capital is whether to raise venture capital or bootstrap. For many founders, the allure of raising VC seems obvious and offers many advantages. I experienced this first-hand with my initial startup where I raised over $50 million in VC funding between 2012 and 2017.