Let's Give Visas to Startup Founders
businessweek.com
Let's Give Visas to Startup Founders
1–10 of 29 posts
Re: Let's Give Visas to Startup Founders
#2The idea is a good one, but I'm wrestling with the dollar amount that needs to be invested before the founder can get a visa. Specifically, how likely is it that a US venture capitalist will invest $250,000 or more in a startup that's not located in the US (or Silicon Valley for that matter) vs. another startup that is?
Even if the non-US startup will move to the US once they receive funding, the largely intangible advantages bestowed on a startup in the Valley (which I've witnessed in the month that I've lived here) give it a better chance.
To be successful in facilitating the immigration of founders to the US, the founders' Visa should be available to any startup that has received any funding from a "qualified US investor" over $15K, which would include non-US startups accepted into YC.
And to avoid creating a huge immigration loophole (which seems to be the author's rationale for suggesting a "real money" cutoff), perhaps the Visa could have a clause that limits it to two years unless additional capital is secured and the startup is deemed to have "passed muster", at which point a permanent resident visa could be granted.
Re: Let's Give Visas to Startup Founders
#3The idea is a good one, but I'm wrestling with the dollar amount that needs to be invested before the founder can get a visa. Specifically, how likely is it that a US venture capitalist will invest $250,000 or more in a startup that's not located in the US (or Silicon Valley for that matter) vs. another startup that is? Even if the non-US startup will move to the US once they receive funding, the largely intangible a…
Specifically, how likely is it that a US venture capitalist will invest $250,000 or more in a startup that's not located in the US (or Silicon Valley for that matter) vs. another startup that is?
It might be more likely than you think. If the startup and the founders are solid, and if there is a clear (and most importantly, fast) visa path like the one proposed, I don't think most investors would have a problem. If anything, $250,000 is way too low for a VC, so you might have to find an angel investor instead. Some countries would have an advantage over others, of course, but I don't think it's a showstopper - my first startup, based in Canada, received an offer for funding which would've put us over this threshold.
Even if the non-US startup will move to the US once they receive funding, the largely intangible advantages bestowed on a startup in the Valley (which I've witnessed in the month that I've lived here) give it a better chance.
Can you elaborate? What is the difference, once both startups are in the Valley, and assuming there are no language issues? So many startup founders are already originally from other states or even countries.
Re: Let's Give Visas to Startup Founders
#4So my question is - if the startup has $250k in funding, why can't they sponsor for an H1B for the founder(s)?
Re: Let's Give Visas to Startup Founders
#5The idea is a good one, but I'm wrestling with the dollar amount that needs to be invested before the founder can get a visa. Specifically, how likely is it that a US venture capitalist will invest $250,000 or more in a startup that's not located in the US (or Silicon Valley for that matter) vs. another startup that is? Even if the non-US startup will move to the US once they receive funding, the largely intangible a…
Specifically, how likely is it that a US venture capitalist will invest $250,000 or more in a startup that's not located in the US (or Silicon Valley for that matter) vs. another startup that is? It might be more likely than you think. If the startup and the founders are solid, and if there is a clear (and most importantly, fast) visa path like the one proposed, I don't think most investors would have a problem. If a…
It may be more likely than I think, but what matters is if it is so much more likely that P(Silicon Valley startup getting funding) I don't think that every startup needs to be in the Valley to get funding, but what I've witnessed here is a prime example of "it's not (only) what you know, it's who you know". If you have a viable startup, knowing people that have made names for themselves in the startup scene, many of which are based in Silicon Valley, can go a long way towards getting introduced to potential investors, whether they be angel investors or VCs.
Re: Let's Give Visas to Startup Founders
#6So my question is - if the startup has $250k in funding, why can't they sponsor for an H1B for the founder(s)?
Yearly quota. Only 65k applications for H1B visas are accepted every year. To be able to sponsor someone out of the quota, the institution has to be either a non-profit or educational - universities and such.
Re: Let's Give Visas to Startup Founders
#7So my question is - if the startup has $250k in funding, why can't they sponsor for an H1B for the founder(s)?
Yearly quota. Only 65k applications for H1B visas are accepted every year. To be able to sponsor someone out of the quota, the institution has to be either a non-profit or educational - universities and such.
Good point.
Re: Let's Give Visas to Startup Founders
#8Earlier quoted context omitted.
Specifically, how likely is it that a US venture capitalist will invest $250,000 or more in a startup that's not located in the US (or Silicon Valley for that matter) vs. another startup that is? It might be more likely than you think. If the startup and the founders are solid, and if there is a clear (and most importantly, fast) visa path like the one proposed, I don't think most investors would have a problem. If a…
It may be more likely than I think, but what matters is if it is so much more likely that P(Silicon Valley startup getting funding) I don't think that every startup needs to be in the Valley to get funding, but what I've witnessed here is a prime example of "it's not (only) what you know, it's who you know". If you have a viable startup, knowing people that have made names for themselves in the startup scene, many of…
I don't think we're disagreeing on much. Yes, of course, a startup with better connections in the US has a better chance to get funding from US investors, and it's easier for an US startup to make these connections.
My point is that P(Canada/foreign startup getting funding) is greater than zero even with today's visa situation, and is still large enough to make a visa program worthwhile, even if it is smaller than P(Silicon Valley startup getting funding).
Re: Let's Give Visas to Startup Founders
#9Current waiting time for China and India-born employment-based Green Card application is likely to be 4-5 years.
Many of those applicants are potential startup founders. Sadly they cannot pursue their ambitions due to the long immigration process. Some of them will choose to leave US and found their startups in their home countries.