3 ms·

The main thing that strikes me is that the assumption if we do not allow these so called "entrepreneurs" in then we would have lost out on the "half" of >$1B co

The main thing that strikes me is that the assumption if we do not allow these so called "entrepreneurs" in then we would have lost out on the "half" of >$1B companies founded by them. Sometimes opportunities are ripe and if one entrepreneur doesnt pick it, another will. That entrepreneur could be current legal resident of the US, rather than a foreign one. I personally prefer more open borders, but the fallacy in the article also bothers me.

Arnt 8y ago
You're assuming that $1B opportunities are ripe for picking, but only by companies incorporated in the state of Delaware and headquartered somewhere near Sand Hill Road. The SV ecosystem has given these forms of companies a big boost for a long time. No doubt about that.
jdoliner 8y ago
Another thing the article doesn't mention at all: if it is true that by not letting these entrepreneurs in we're missing out on half of >$1B companies then we should expect some of the countries these entrepreneurs are leaving to be the sites of these companies instead. I suspect we'll see a mix of both, some companies will be founded by a different founder with a different visa status, some will be founded by the same founder, but in a different place. Neither of these is necessarily a bad thing, granted the US might be missing out on some good founders, and thus some good jobs and some tax revenue. So from a purely "America First" we're missing out... but our government does many ostensibly benevolent things to help other countries, many of them, it's very dubious whether or not they actually help. But not brain draining everyone's entrepreneurs might actually be some effective benevolence. It's ironic that it comes from an administration whose slogan is "America First."
- Bucephalus355 8y ago
  I’ve thought this as well. Pro-immigration policies are essentially stealing the best and brightest from all corners of the world and moving them here. Why? In many cases they would be dramatically more effective in their country of origin. Take IIT in India, which is India’s version of Harvard. Over 50% of those students go abroad a year after graduating. How can that be good for India?
  - credit_guy 8y ago
    Maybe it’s not good for India, but most likely it’s good for those graduates. I doubt any of them is kidnapped, most certainly they emmigrate on their own volition. Pursuit of happiness is a thing ...
GFischer 8y ago
Well, as jdoliner says, those companies might be started in other, more entrepreneur-friendly country like Chile or France or maybe China instead (no idea about the latter's entrepreneur-friendliness though, but I do know about Chile's).
- cft 8y ago
  I heard from a friend that the bureaucratic cost of starting/registering any software business in France was €50,000 and up. Add to that GDPR compliance, etc. I do not think that France is entrepreneur friendly.
  - GFischer 8y ago
    I was going by these articles, I have no actual experience: https://www.forbes.com/feature/france-macron-station-f-entrepreneurship/#50b0a289573a https://www.forbes.com/feature/france-macron-station-f-entre... https://www.fastcompany.com/40482640/vive-la-france-female-entrepreneurs-leaving-the-u-s https://www.fastcompany.com/40482640/vive-la-france-female-e... and they supposedly added a new visa (which the U.S. is eliminating as per this article): https://techcrunch.com/2017/01/17/france-creates-a-special-visa-for-entrepreneurs-engineers-and-investors/ https://techcrunch.com/2017/01/17/france-creates-a-special-v...

Arnt 8y ago

You're assuming that $1B opportunities are ripe for picking, but only by companies incorporated in the state of Delaware and headquartered somewhere near Sand Hill Road. The SV ecosystem has given these forms of companies a big boost for a long time. No doubt about that.

jdoliner 8y ago

Another thing the article doesn't mention at all: if it is true that by not letting these entrepreneurs in we're missing out on half of >$1B companies then we should expect some of the countries these entrepreneurs are leaving to be the sites of these companies instead. I suspect we'll see a mix of both, some companies will be founded by a different founder with a different visa status, some will be founded by the same founder, but in a different place. Neither of these is necessarily a bad thing, granted the US might be missing out on some good founders, and thus some good jobs and some tax revenue. So from a purely "America First" we're missing out... but our government does many ostensibly benevolent things to help other countries, many of them, it's very dubious whether or not they actually help. But not brain draining everyone's entrepreneurs might actually be some effective benevolence. It's ironic that it comes from an administration whose slogan is "America First."

Bucephalus355 8y ago
I’ve thought this as well. Pro-immigration policies are essentially stealing the best and brightest from all corners of the world and moving them here. Why? In many cases they would be dramatically more effective in their country of origin. Take IIT in India, which is India’s version of Harvard. Over 50% of those students go abroad a year after graduating. How can that be good for India?
- credit_guy 8y ago
  Maybe it’s not good for India, but most likely it’s good for those graduates. I doubt any of them is kidnapped, most certainly they emmigrate on their own volition. Pursuit of happiness is a thing ...

GFischer 8y ago

Well, as jdoliner says, those companies might be started in other, more entrepreneur-friendly country like Chile or France or maybe China instead (no idea about the latter's entrepreneur-friendliness though, but I do know about Chile's).

cft 8y ago
I heard from a friend that the bureaucratic cost of starting/registering any software business in France was €50,000 and up. Add to that GDPR compliance, etc. I do not think that France is entrepreneur friendly.
- GFischer 8y ago
  I was going by these articles, I have no actual experience: https://www.forbes.com/feature/france-macron-station-f-entrepreneurship/#50b0a289573a https://www.forbes.com/feature/france-macron-station-f-entre... https://www.fastcompany.com/40482640/vive-la-france-female-entrepreneurs-leaving-the-u-s https://www.fastcompany.com/40482640/vive-la-france-female-e... and they supposedly added a new visa (which the U.S. is eliminating as per this article): https://techcrunch.com/2017/01/17/france-creates-a-special-visa-for-entrepreneurs-engineers-and-investors/ https://techcrunch.com/2017/01/17/france-creates-a-special-v...