Casium, a Seattle startup specializing in using artificial intelligence to optimize the work visa application process, has successfully raised $5 million in seed funding. The funding round was spearheaded by Maverick Ventures based in San Francisco, with support from AI2 Incubator in Seattle, GTMfund, Success Venture Partners, and Jake Heller, the co-founder of Casetext, now a part of Thomson Reuters.
Founded in April 2024 as a spin-off from AI2 Incubator, Casium is spearheaded by Priyanka Kulkarni, the former Microsoft scientist and entrepreneur-in-residence at AI2 Incubator. Kulkarni’s personal experience with the complexities and inefficiencies of the EB-1 visa application process inspired her to create a solution to simplify and expedite the process.
Kulkarni shared in a recent LinkedIn post, “Casium was born out of my own frustrations with a system that was convoluted and lacked transparency. What started as a personal challenge evolved into a mission to revolutionize the process. Today, we are dedicated to helping global talent and their prospective employers navigate the visa application process with efficiency, transparency, and expert guidance.”
Securing work visas involves presenting a compelling case to the U.S. government, highlighting the qualifications and merits of the applicant. This process, even with legal assistance, can be time-consuming. Casium’s objective is to reduce the processing time from months to mere days.
The Casium platform employs algorithms to analyze the best approach for each applicant, whether it involves a temporary work visa or pursuing permanent residency. By leveraging AI technology, the company automates the data collection and document preparation process. Casium collaborates with immigration attorneys to oversee the process and advocate for visa applicants.
Business Insider reported that Casium offers complimentary initial assessments and charges a fixed fee for filings based on the visa type and complexity of the case. Additionally, the company is exploring a subscription model to provide employers with ongoing support options.
With a team of nine professionals, Casium has already partnered with a diverse range of employers, from early-stage startups to well-established companies, assisting hundreds of candidates with visa assessments, compliance checks, and actual filings, boasting a high approval rate.
President Donald Trump’s recent executive order imposing a $100,000 fee for H-1B visas has heightened the significance of work visas, given the intense competition for limited slots. Casium notes that over 442,000 individuals vie for just 85,000 H-1B visa openings annually, underscoring the critical role the company plays in simplifying the application process.
Boundless Immigration, another Seattle startup that emerged from Pioneer Square Labs in 2017, is also dedicated to enhancing the legal immigration journey. Specializing in assisting immigrants with spousal visas and U.S. citizenship applications, Boundless has raised over $43 million, positioning itself as a leading consumer-focused family immigration service provider.
Previously: ‘I really want to fix this’: Microsoft vet launches Seattle startup to transform work visa applications
