The Founder’s Visa is Long Overdue

Lesa Mitchell and I at Kauffman talked recently at Foo Camp with Paul Graham of Y-Combinator fame, and he was passionate on the subject of immigrant founders. Why do we make it so darn hard for smart and motivated company founders to come to this country and create great companies? We shouldn’t.

What should we do? How about a Founder’s Visa. That is the idea Graham has proposed, and it is getting strong backing from Brad Feld at Foundry Ventures, as well as other VCs and entrepreneurs. It is even getting attention from politicians.

The particulars are still getting worked through, but it has to do with getting a modicum of funding ($250,000) and approval from an independent board that this represents a real startup deal, not some backroom finagling for a visa, and that’s it: You’re in the country and you’re off and running.

This is a big idea worth getting behind.

Comments

[Don M. McNulty]

I am all for bringing in immigrants legally. As a matter of fact after listening to a speech from the head of the Kansas City Immigration Office last year...I found it one of a very few speeches I had listened too over the last several years that left me totally depressed. What a broken system, and worst yet they know it! However, wouldn't what you propose artificially stack the deck? Leaving out many who wouldn't pass your qualifiers but in reality become much more wildly successful than those brought in under more stringent guidelines. Unfettered Freedom and Liberty breeds entrepreneurship does it not?

[Vidli]

Hey Paul

Thanks for doing up this post. We created a comedy about the Startup Visa - We call it "Lord of the Visa." (from Lord of the Rings)

Looks like you're an Elf!

http://blog.vidli.com/startup-visa/

Enjoy...

[university degrees]

Unfettered Freedom and Liberty breeds entrepreneurship does it not?