PG's post is interesting, as always. The bit that is worrying me is the linked Etherpad animation. Am I the only one that looks at the Etherpad DVCS using javascript functions as the delta data format, and think XSS sploit in waiting?
The Founder Visa
111–120 of 160 posts
Re: The Founder Visa
#112Earlier quoted context omitted.
There are big companies hungry for H-1Bs; could they exploit this new visa by "investing" small amount of money and then outsourcing some of their work into this newly created "company"?
They wouldn't be certified as startup investors.
Google Ventures seems like a good proxy for this behavior.
Re: The Founder Visa
#113With all due respect, this seems pretty naive to me.
I've met dozens of people trying to gain entry to Canada and the US, and it's common knowledge that you can game the system with money. This would just provide another entry point.
You would have to define what is a successful startup, in simple legal terms, and people would find ways to satisfy the definition and stay in the country.
I have experienced first-hand the difficulty of moving to a new country, adapting to a new system, trying to build a new social network. Any genuine startup founders would have to contend with all this, all the while knowing that if their business fails they're booted out of the country.
Anyway, I believe the reason entrepreneurship works so well in the US is because we allow people to fail.
Re: The Founder Visa
#114Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm always curious when people say they advocate increasing immigration. Right now, the United States takes about 1.2 million immigrants legally into the country every year. Does this seem too low a number to you? If so, do you see a practical need for some kind of limit, or are you in favor of limitless immigration?
The problem is that the majority of illegal immigrants are at the low end of the tax spectrum, often taking more out than the put in. The people who we'd ideally want in the country are at the other end, and they usually aren't here illegally. That is the group PG is trying to target here, and I'm ALL for making it easier for them to immigrate.
I completely agree, our immigration system needs reform, badly. In fact, I see "low hanging fruit" that could really improve our economy and quality of life.
That said, I didn't really get an answer... you say you're in favor of increasing legal immigration - are you in favor of changing the mix, of do you think that we need to go way above the current level of 1.2+ million a year?
Re: The Founder Visa
#115Earlier quoted context omitted.
VC's barely (meaning, almost not at all) adapt to citizens who haven't yet moved to Boston or San Jose yet.
That's because US citizens seeking VC who haven't moved to Boston or San Jose usually have no good excuse not to; for VCs, it's an easy way to filter out undedicated founders. Foreigners who want to move there but can't get a visa have a much better excuse.
That assumes that VCs have a need to invest in people outside the valley or Boston. VCs would have to travel outside the country to meet potential founders (since they don't yet have a visa) There are enough founders in those two places that VCs don't have any pressing need to jump through such hoops.
Re: The Founder Visa
#116Not very likely to happen.
To put things in perspective: most (non-European) foreign nationals are required to hold a transit visa just to make a connection via an US airport. To obtain that visa you need to go the local US consulate and schedule an interview. Not for study or tourism, mind you. Just to step off a plane and board another 2 hours later.
Re: The Founder Visa
#117agree I'm facing the same problem. I can't get VISA to USA or Europe and thus start a startup there.
Many people are facing the same problem
Re: The Founder Visa
#118Is it incidental that except for one or two guys in essay review are all people who are small investors who don't have ability to open investment shop in India/China?..
May be 20 yrs back this was relevant but today just because you offer does not mean quality people need it..so before proposing was there actually needs analysis..did somebody read the Chinese social networks are ahead in revenue numbers and there is huge investment in electric cars..same story with other emerging markets and don't think there are no investment funds there..obviously, people will say there is not enough support but in Silicon valley also beyond seed stage very few outsiders get the funding..checkout thefunded.com for more information..so if you are smart/hard working then stay where you are because you can create opportunities..also worthwhile to read mercury news story about dwindling public companies in silicon valley.. the other part of the story is not there but you can very well guess.. world is flat!
Btw, I have 2 investments in Indian companies and I would not advise them coming to US unless they establish themselves well..simply because starting and growing a company is not easy if you do not have well established connections and good market read..hiring good people also needs good connections..most of the time your early employees are your friends or past coworkers.. This kind of arrangement will work only if the people are going to hand over reins to someone local ..this is exactly and only suitable for mass investors like Ron Conway/YCombinator..and I don't want to say anything on this forum but entrepreneurs while choosing the investor need to see lot more than initial recognition.. I know many people will oppose me here but just walk through a case scenario where this will work..also if you are going to throw in Google example then please do thorough analysis.. My advice to young entrepreneur is just go in the market where you understand things not that looks shiny.. there are no overnight successes..and don't quit something you have (can have) simply on the word of an investor..definitely not for the people who can not be with you till you get cash flow positive..(just to be clear I am not taking swipe at either Ron or YCombinator program..i am just talking in context of extending (and "assuming") its relevance to international teams without really understanding the other side)
Re: The Founder Visa
#119Earlier quoted context omitted.
"PG said: 10,000 people is a drop in the bucket by immigration standards" Yes, in terms of people. But you fail to understand that it's an entire new process and system that would have to be invented and executed. You just don't think like a con-man. Universities have quite a bit on the line, such as accreditation. A private company has next to nothing on the line. Anyway, here's how I'd do it: 1. First off, I'd need…
I think pg's point of investors accreditation system is that it's not the government you have to cheat, but the group of pre-selected investors. (I'd imagine something similar to professional guilds... you have to be recognized by peers to be in part of the investor group of deciding who can get invested with this visa, for example). The obstacle I see is that the stake of having authority to say who can get visas fo…
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Re: The Founder Visa
#120Earlier quoted context omitted.
Wow, who up-votes this junk? Let's see: The INS has their hands full... PG said: 10,000 people is a drop in the bucket by immigration standards For comparison, there were 591,050 student and exchange visas granted in 2007 [1]. If the INS can handle checking up on individual students following educations via Universities, they can do the same with 1/200th the number of startups via investment firms. The system would b…
"PG said: 10,000 people is a drop in the bucket by immigration standards" Yes, in terms of people. But you fail to understand that it's an entire new process and system that would have to be invented and executed. You just don't think like a con-man. Universities have quite a bit on the line, such as accreditation. A private company has next to nothing on the line. Anyway, here's how I'd do it: 1. First off, I'd need…
If startups worked for money laundering, people would be doing it already. There is nothing immigration-specific in the scenario you propose.