From Visas to Ventures: Workshop & Founder Mixer
The visa process is one of the most critical, yet underaddressed, challenges facing international AI founders. While exceptional global talent drives innovation in AI, immigration complexities often derail promising founding partnerships before they can launch.
This event bridges this gap by providing international AI leaders with the immigration strategy and founder network needed to build successful companies in the U.S. This isn’t just about getting a visa, it's about understanding how your immigration pathway enables your entrepreneurial vision and connects you with right founding partners who share both your technical expertise and your timeline realities.
Hosted by Casium
We're the fast, transparent U.S. immigration solution for exceptional global talent, backed by AI2 Incubator and the Allen Institute for AI right here in Seattle. We've streamlined the visa process for founders, STEM professionals, and top global talent with an exceptionally high approval rate track record. Basically, we've seen every visa nightmare scenario and figured out how to turn them into success stories.
What We're Doing (2 Hours of Actually Useful Content)
🧠 The Visa Strategy Workshop (60 minutes)
O-1, EB-1A, EB-2 NIW decoded: What they actually mean and which one won't make you cry
Co-founder visa coordination: Because timing is everything (and nobody tells you this)
"Am I extraordinary enough?" workshop: Spoiler alert - you probably are
Real scenarios, real solutions: No theoretical fluff, just what actually works
🤝 Success Stories & Strategic Networking (60 minutes)
Founder war stories: International entrepreneurs who survived the process and lived to tell the tale
Smart networking: Connect with people who get your timeline struggles
Expert Q&A: Immigration pros who actually understand AI companies
Co-founder speed dating: Okay, not really, but structured connections with people who complement your skills AND immigration timeline
Who Should Come?
You're Perfect If You're:
💼 H-1B professional ready to build something bigger
🔬 PhD/Researcher with commercial ideas and zero clue about business visas
🌍 International AI talent exploring O-1 or EB-1 pathways
🤝 Anyone seeking co-founders who won't ghost you when visa questions come up
Bonus Points If You're:
🏆 Successfully immigrated and want to pay it forward
🤝 Local partner interested in supporting international founding talent
The Real Talk
This isn't just another immigration seminar where you leave more confused than when you arrived. Most visa advice assumes you're applying alone, but we help founding teams navigate the complex timing of multiple co-founders getting the right visas to start a company together.
What You'll Actually Get:
Immigration pathway checklists (that make sense)
Timeline templates for coordinating multiple founder applications
Resource guides with contacts who won't charge you $500 for a 15-minute call
Follow-up consultation opportunities
A community of people who understand that "just network" isn't helpful advice when you're dealing with visa restrictions