Comments on: Monday Morning Startup Visa Articles

By: Brad Feld

Brad Feld — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 12:11:05 +0000

Much better – many are highly paid developers and the infrastructure staff that supports this kind of growth.

By: Bill Mosby

Bill Mosby — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 00:46:04 +0000

I'd be in favor of letting in all the entrepreneurs there are. And also not letting in so many people that immigration becomes the main driver of population growth. However crowded some other countries are, I like the population density we have here about at the level it is now. And that's only because I realize we can't turn it back to what it was 40 years ago when I first got interested in that issue.

By: Paramendra Kumar Bhagat

Paramendra Kumar Bhagat — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 06:54:27 +0000

Great points Brad. I could not have said it better.

By: Paramendra Kumar Bhagat

Paramendra Kumar Bhagat — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 06:50:17 +0000

"While everyone is talking about health care…"

Immigration is next on Obama's agenda. Get ready to overwork on the issue. It is going to be as challenging as health care was. You will hear all sorts of ridiculous counter arguments.

By: Bill McNeely

Bill McNeely — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 16:42:21 +0000

Brad,

Thanks for getting the startup visa legislation rolling.

I feel its a good idea to invite folks who will bring value to our country from overseas.All good ideas and investment opportunities do not reside in an American’s head.I know that is shocking to some readers.

I also like that you reconize that being an American citizen,Permanant Resident or invited guest (visa holder) is a privilage not a right. In order to gain entry into this country you should have something positive to offer. Nothing is free or easy.

I think the latest generation of veterans in this country (which I am one) can buy into this visa idea knowing that the immigrants this bill produces will continue to strength the economic viability of this great land.

I wish you success.

By: Bill Mosby

Bill Mosby — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 15:50:12 +0000

Can you give us some idea what the average pay rate for those 800 people is, and what their jobs are like? Better than what I'll describe below, I hope.

I work for an internet-based tutoring company as an independent contractor for $11 an hour. They have trouble getting enough math and physics tutors at that rate, so we handle 2 or 3 students at a time while claiming to be supplying 1 on 1 tutoring. Multiple students on the same subject with students who are aware of each others' presence would be one thing, but simulating 1 on 1 tutoring among 3 students each in different topics (math, physics, and English grammar, say) at the same time is a great mental workout which unfortunately fails to impress the students at times.

I'd like to think other hi-tech companies are better. What can you tell me about the ones you invest in?

Previously, I developed an iPhone app but was unable to market it well enough. Still on the app store, not going anywhere. So tutoring was plan B. Or C, or something.

By: Brad Feld

Brad Feld — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 11:39:03 +0000

Berislav – the assertion that “modern high-tech startups will rarely create more than a handful of jobs” just isn’t true. For example, I’m an investor in Zynga. When we invested in the fall of 2007, they were 10 people. Today they are over 800 people. That’s a lot of jobs.

By: Brad Feld

Brad Feld — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 11:18:04 +0000

If I’m ever in the vicinity of Zagreb, Croatia, I’ll give you a shout!

By: Berislav Lopac

Berislav Lopac — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 11:15:46 +0000

The last sentence is all that I really need to know — so tell me, when do you want me to make reservations for our dinner in Zagreb, Croatia?

I'm just partially joking — my point is that there seems to be a problem that there are many excellent opportunities happening all around the world, but the capital — and *especially* seed-stage capital — is still confined to a handful of locations like Silicon Valley, Boston and London. While the investors keep expressing their interest to fund globally, in practice this is foiled by the fact that they don't know much about the situation elsewhere — and I'm not talking about general business climate and political situation, but concrete, specific opportunities. I'm inviting you, and all other US investors (angels or VCs) to spend more personal time in traveling to such locations and check out the local startup scene.

And the dinner invitation is open, any time you're around.

By: Brad Feld

Brad Feld — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 10:52:10 +0000

I don’t think there is any causal link to protectionist behavior. Investors are going to invest both (a) where they see opportunity and (b) where they want to. Many US VC firms have expanded aggressively over the past decade into other parts of the work, especially China, India, and parts of Europe. The Startup Visa isn’t aimed at that dynamic in any way, nor do I think it’ll have any impact on these firms strategies.

Rather, this continues to be focused on the entrepreneur outside the US that wants to move to the US and start his business in the US. I strongly believe that the US (and every country – for that matter) should welcome these entrepreneurs and make it easy for them to start businesses wherever in the world they want. Since I live in the US and am governed by US law, I’m focused on changing the dynamic here because I think it’s hugely important long term for the competitiveness of the US to make it easy for entrepreneurs that want to move her to be able to move here.

Ultimately it’s the entrepreneurs choice. And capital will follow the great entrepreneurial opportunities!