The Bootstrap Network is an organization of entrepreneurs founded in Austin, Texas in 2003 by Bijoy Goswami.[1] The members, who are all founders of companies, give each other advice on building companies, the name referring to starting a company without outside financing, or 'bootstrapping'.[1] [2]
By 2006, the network had over 500 members in Austin and sister networks in 10 other cities in the US and India.[1] By 2009, it had 1,000 members.[3] Gary Hoover, founder of Hoover's and Bookstop has called Bootstrap Austin "among the most effective tools for entrepreneurs that I have ever seen - and I've seen a lot."[1]