Analysis

July 15, 2022

Why is bootstrapping the go-to model for founders in central and eastern Europe?

The lack of financing and cheaper labour costs have been pushing startups in central and eastern Europe to bootstrap — but this trend might be ending soon.


Zosia Wanat

5 min read

Damian Strzelczyk and Tomasz Jabłoński, the founders of Tutlo, a Polish bootstrapped startup

When the founders of Tutlo — a Polish startup that offers an online English tutoring platform — searched for investors in 2015, there weren’t too many VCs interested in their idea. So they decided to find a way to develop the business without external help: bootstrapping.

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Zosia Wanat

Zosia Wanat was a senior reporter at Sifted. She covered the CEE region and policy. Follow her on X and LinkedIn

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