Bootstrap is an ancient computer science term. First it loads the most ancient bit of code, probably written in the 1970s. It runs a program written in the 80s, which in turn launches a program written in the 90s. Each of the levels loads only for the purpose of loading the next bit of history. Doug Engelbart was the first to use the term in the context of this piece, as far as I know.
All engineers bootstrap all the time.
To understand bootstrapping is to understand software, imho. It's the process that matters, not the bits, or system requirements. In the physical world bootstrapping rarely works. In the virtual world it always works, or so it seems. An incubator is a business whose business is starting other businesses.