💡 What I Learned Building a Web3 App Without Venture Capital
May 22, 2025
I didn’t raise millions. I didn’t pitch VCs. I didn’t wait for someone to say “yes.” I just built. EGO Money — a fast, simple crypto wallet that lets users buy, sell, and swap top digital assets — started as an idea. Now it’s a functioning platform, with a vision and brand I believe in deeply. And I built it without outside funding. Here’s what I learned building a Web3 company from scratch, solo, and lean.
🛠 1. Resourcefulness > Resources
When you don’t have a big budget, you get creative.
You focus on what truly matters:
Does this feature solve a real problem?
Will this design increase trust and usability?
Is this worth building now, or can it wait?
You strip away the noise.
The constraints sharpen your thinking.
🤖 2. AI Can Be a Force Multiplier
I didn’t build EGO Money alone. I built it with AI.
From content to code, UX to strategy — AI became my silent co-founder.
Not because it does everything for me, but because it helps me do everything faster.
When you’re solo, time is your most valuable currency.
AI gives you more of it.
🔐 3. Web3 Is About Ownership — Including Yours
The irony?
A lot of Web3 startups are built with centralized capital, racing to VC milestones, not user value.
By not raising, I got to:
Keep full creative control
Move at my own pace
Stay focused on the user, not the pitch deck
Web3 is about decentralization, sovereignty, and freedom.
Bootstrapping is aligned with that.
⚙️ 4. Build Publicly, but With Purpose
I chose to share pieces of my journey — not for hype, but for connection.
People don’t just invest in your product.
They believe in your process. Your story. Your reason.
Being transparent helped me build trust before traction.
And it keeps me accountable.
🚀 5. The Product Is the Pitch
I didn’t spend 6 months on a deck.
I spent 6 months on the app.
Because in Web3, the product is the pitch.
When users can buy, swap, and earn crypto in seconds — without friction — that’s the real message.
No jargon. No gatekeeping. Just experience.
Final Thought:
Style Transfer is designed to be user-friendly and intuitive, with a simple interface that makes it easy for anyone to use. The app's design is sleek and modern, making it a pleasure to use.
You don’t need permission.
You don’t need perfect timing.
You don’t need VC validation.
You need clarity, consistency, and a product people care about.
And maybe a little AI.
—
🔗 ego.money
📲 edwin@ego.money
👤 Edwin Ramos, Founder & CEO
