First-time solo introvert founder seeking advice - i will not promote

I will not promote. Hi everyone, I’m a first-time solo founder and an introvert. I started building my app in November 2024, initially just for myself. It shows real-time crowd data for cafés, restaurants, parks, and other places. As someone who hates crowded spaces, I often feel anxious or even start panicking when a place gets too busy. I wanted a way to check how crowded a location is before going, so I built this app. Then I thought—maybe other introverts would find this useful too, and maybe even everyone who dislikes crowded places. So, I turned my idea into an MVP, added features to make it more helpful, and hired a programmer to handle the backend while I focused on the UI/UX design (I have a design background). I’ve been bootstrapping everything, using half of my salary to pay my programmer. We already completed beta testing on Android and got great feedback from testers. This month, we’re starting development for iOS. Now, I’ve hit a roadblock—I don’t have enough funds to cover the final development costs, publishing fees for the Play Store and App Store, legal registration, and other necessary expenses. I’m humbly seeking advice on two things: # 1) Navigating Funding as a Solo Founder I don’t come from a wealthy background or have a strong network. As a first-time entrepreneur with no funding, how do I move forward from here? * Where can I find people or resources that can help? * Are there grants, programs, or funding opportunities for founders like me? * What’s the best way to approach fundraising, even on a small scale? * If you’ve been in a similar situation, what helped you get through it? # 2) Overcoming Fear of Public Speaking As an introvert, I struggle with speaking to people, not because I dislike it, but because I feel shy and afraid that I won’t make sense or that people won’t listen. I know that as a founder, communication is key, so I want to overcome this fear. Recently, I started practicing daily by using my pitch deck to improve my speech. But I’d love to hear from others—if you used to struggle with public speaking but became confident over time, what helped you? How did you practice? I’d really appreciate any advice! Thank you so much for reading. 😊