[erichocean]

One thing I think SV companies don't try and do is actually figure out how to do disruptive startups that don't burn cash for the first few years.

I'm sure that's because money is so readily available in SV, but there's no actual reasons why startups can't be disruptive and still cash-positive early.

The main benefit of funding is actually social connections and social proof, not money, in my experience. (If anything, the money is a drawback, because it most cases it causes companies to do stupid things -- grow big when they haven't even figured out the product yet.)