If your goal is to compete with Chrome, fair enough. Personally, I just want a browser that works and that respects my freedom. I don’t care how good the Google malware is as it’s still malware.

As for depending on Mozilla’s funding (and thereby Google’s money), I think Free software is very resilient and they would continue where Mozilla left off if their funding ever got cut (see the Palemoon project as an example).

Is Icecat not good enough? Iceweasel is also pretty good, IMO.