Mike Markula bought a sizeable chunk of Apple for $250K. You would have been among the critics who would have said that for such a small amount, “ this proves there is no ‘there’ here.”
A sizeable chunk is not the whole thing. Venture capital always take a sizeable chunk. But the owners keep a good chunk. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak kept enough to become billionaires. You have to give up equity to raise venture capital. But you don't give up your whole position.