Substrate removal techniques are attractive for the integration of III-V compound semiconductor devices on Si for the integration of optical and electronic devices, and on thermally conducting substrates for heat sinking. Here we discuss the bonding of strained quantum well InGaAs vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers on both Si and Cu substrates. The GaAs substrates are then removed by selective etching. Lasing was achieved with pulsed electrical pumping with J(th)=2.5 kA/cm2. The performance characteristics of the Si and Cu bonded devices are compared.