Stories
Why Indian Tech Talent Prefers the US Despite Visa Concerns
- •Software engineer and venture capitalist Debarghya Das sparked a debate on X by arguing that the US remains more attractive for Indian tech professionals due to superior financial opportunities.
- •Deedy highlighted that access to venture capital, higher employee compensation, and lucrative startup exits outweigh the options available in India.
- •He listed prominent US startups founded by Indian-origin entrepreneurs, including Perplexity, Skild AI, and Together AI, showcasing their growing presence in the American tech ecosystem.
- •According to Deedy, raising capital in the US is easier and allows founders to retain a larger share of their companies compared to other markets.
- •He noted that factors like proximity to family, visa difficulties, and patriotism are the primary reasons individuals might choose India over the US, rather than economic grounds.
Key Questions Answered
Debarghya Das argued that the US offers vastly superior financial opportunities, including better access to venture capital, higher employee compensation, and lucrative startup exit potentials. He noted that raising capital in the US is easier with founders giving up a smaller share of their companies.
The X post listed major technology startups founded by at least one Indian-born entrepreneur, including Perplexity, Skild AI, Baseten, Together AI, Glean, Modal, Rubrik, and Harness. It also mentioned emerging companies like CodeRabbit, Greptile, Composio, Cartesia, and Wispr.
While economic incentives favor the US, professionals often choose to return home or weigh moving back due to proximity to family, difficulties obtaining visas, and strong patriotic convictions. Additionally, factors like the desire to be closer to ageing parents and H-1B visa stress motivate reverse migration.
