Who is Priya Kulkarni? Techie launches AI startup to simplify US visa process

Priya Kulkarni, a 34-year-old expert in machine learning, has founded Casium, an innovative startup aimed at streamlining the employment-based immigration process in the United States through artificial intelligence. The centerpiece of Casium's offering is a user-friendly portal that enables employers to manage visa applications seamlessly, moving away from outdated methods reliant on manual tasks like Excel spreadsheets and, frequently, external legal assistance. Having navigated the visa system herself for nine years, Kulkarni is driven by the desire to enhance speed and transparency in a process often plagued by delays and confusion. The startup has already assisted hundreds of candidates with evaluations, compliance checks, and filing submissions, proudly reporting a remarkably high approval rate. The technology implemented in Casium's platform significantly accelerates the paperwork process, reducing the time required to gather necessary documents from three to six months with traditional law firms to under ten business days. Additionally, the system proactively identifies errors, thereby increasing the likelihood of success for applicants. Casium offers free initial assessments and employs a transparent flat fee structure for filings based on the type of visa. The company is also in the process of developing a subscription model. Born and raised in India, Kulkarni holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Mumbai and a Master's in Applied Mathematics from Johns Hopkins University. She began her career at Microsoft on an H-1B visa, where she spent nearly ten years advancing machine learning strategies for enterprise solutions such as Microsoft Office. Reflecting on her experiences with the H-1B visa system, which is often tied to a specific employer and subject to a lottery, Kulkarni described it as "exhausting and confusing, sometimes limiting career growth." After being accepted into the Ai2 Incubator's 2024 cohort in Seattle, she applied for an EB-1 visa, also referred to as the "Einstein visa" for individuals with extraordinary abilities. Following three months of paperwork with a law firm, she was ready to embark on her entrepreneurial journey. When asked on her first day at the incubator about her aspirations, she quickly expressed her intention to innovate within immigration technology, stating, "Everything I've done has culminated to this point."