82% of Founders Remain Committed to US Expansion, Check Our Latest Research

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Despite growing uncertainty around US immigration policies, Asian founders remain committed to expanding into the American market. Our latest research shows that access to US customers, rather than fundraising, is the biggest motivation behind these expansion plans.

At Beyond Border, we regularly speak with founders, entrepreneurs and highly skilled professionals across Asia who are exploring opportunities in the United States. One thing we continue to hear is that, despite changes in the US immigration environment, the American market remains an important part of their long-term business plans.

We wanted to understand how these developments are influencing actual expansion decisions. Are founders delaying their plans? Are they reconsidering relocation? And are immigration concerns changing the way Asian companies approach the US market?

To answer these questions, we conducted our August 2026 Founder Mobility Pulse survey, collecting responses from 307 founders worldwide, including more than 200 based in Asia. We also analysed 1,140 immigration inquiries from Asia-based individuals received between August 2025 and September 2026.

The findings were interesting. Despite growing immigration uncertainty, 82% of founders said they had not changed their plans to expand into the United States.

For us, this highlights an important point: while immigration policies influence how founders approach international expansion, they have not removed the commercial reasons for entering the US market.

Access to US Customers Matters More Than Fundraising

One of the clearest findings from our survey was the reason founders want to enter the American market.

Around 85% of respondents identified access to US customers as their primary motivation for expansion. In comparison, just 8% cited fundraising or investor networks.

Other reasons included access to talent and business partners, mentioned by 5% of respondents, while 2% identified compliance-related considerations.

We believe this reflects how founders are thinking about international growth. For many startups, entering the US is not simply about finding investors or raising another funding round. It is about getting closer to customers, understanding the market and building a business that can operate internationally.

The US offers opportunities for companies looking to develop customer relationships and establish partnerships in a large and competitive market. For technology businesses, having a local presence can also make it easier to understand customer expectations and build trust.

Our research also shows that interest in US expansion is not limited to well-funded companies.

Around 35% of the companies surveyed were at the seed stage, while 28% were bootstrapped or self-funded. Another 20% were at the pre-seed stage. Series A companies accounted for 12%, while 5% had reached Series B or later.

This means that founders at different stages of business development are considering the US as their next growth market.

The timelines are also relatively ambitious. Around 60% of respondents expect to enter the US within the next 12 months, while another 25% plan to do so within 12 to 24 months.

In total, 85% of the founders we surveyed expect to expand into the US within the next two years.

Immigration Uncertainty Has Not Stopped Founders

US immigration policies have become an important consideration for international founders and skilled professionals.

Increased scrutiny of employment-based immigration, developments affecting green-card sponsorship at major technology companies and investigations into visa programmes at leading universities have raised questions about the immigration process.

We understand why these developments create concerns for people planning to move to the United States. Immigration decisions can affect business timelines, hiring plans and the ability of founders to establish a local presence.

However, our survey suggests that most founders are continuing with their plans.

Around 82% of respondents said immigration uncertainty had not changed their US expansion plans. Another 11% said they were bringing forward their expansion timelines or exploring alternative visa options.

We also examined USCIS approval data to understand how selected immigration pathways have changed in recent years.

Our analysis found that approved L-1 petitions declined by 31% between fiscal years 2022 and 2024. During the same period, O-1/O-2 approvals increased slightly by 1%.

The trends were different for employment-based green-card categories. EB-1A approvals increased by 20% between FY2023 and FY2025, while EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) approvals declined by 39%.

These figures show that immigration pathways are experiencing different approval trends. They also highlight why founders and professionals should understand the requirements of individual visa categories rather than treating US immigration as a single process.

The L-1 visa is commonly used by companies transferring employees to their US offices. The O-1 visa is designed for individuals who can demonstrate extraordinary ability or achievement. EB-1A and EB-2 NIW provide employment-based green-card pathways for eligible individuals.

Our findings suggest that founders are not necessarily abandoning their US ambitions. Instead, many are looking more closely at which immigration pathway fits their professional background and business plans.

Founders Want to Lead Their US Expansion Personally

Another important finding from our research concerns who will actually relocate when a company enters the US market.

We found that 64% of founders expect to establish their US presence themselves, either alone or with a small launch team.

Around 35% said the founder would relocate independently, while 29% expected the founder to move with a small group of employees.

Another 16% planned to establish a presence through US-based hiring without relocating the founder. Meanwhile, 11% expected to operate remotely, and 8% were still unsure.

This tells us that many early-stage businesses are taking a practical approach to international expansion.

Rather than moving an entire team immediately, founders are considering a smaller initial presence. They can focus on meeting customers, developing partnerships and understanding the local market before deciding whether a larger operation is necessary.

From our perspective, this approach also raises an important question for founders: who actually needs to be physically present in the United States to establish the business?

For some companies, the founder may be the most important person to relocate during the initial stage. Other businesses may be able to establish a local presence through hiring or remote operations.

The right approach will depend on the company's business model, customer requirements, operational structure and immigration circumstances.

Asia Will Continue to Be an Important Base for Technology Teams

We also wanted to understand whether founders planned to move their existing teams to the US or continue operating from Asia.

The results show that most companies are not planning to relocate all their business functions.

Around 72% of respondents said they intend to retain engineering and product development functions in Asia.

Other functions are also expected to remain in the region. Around 40% plan to retain operations in Asia, while 30% expect to keep sales and marketing functions there. Another 20% said senior leadership would remain in the region.

We see this as an indication that companies are considering a more flexible approach to international expansion.

Founders can establish relationships with US customers while continuing to rely on their existing engineering and product teams in Asia. This allows businesses to build an international presence without necessarily moving their entire workforce.

For Asian technology companies, this could be an important way to maintain their existing operational capabilities while pursuing opportunities in the United States.

It also means that US expansion does not always require a complete relocation of the business. Companies can decide which functions need to operate locally and which can continue from their existing locations.

Returning Technology Talent Could Create New Opportunities for Asia

Another trend we examined was the movement of technology professionals returning from the United States to India.

According to estimates from recruitment firm Xpheno, approximately 12,700 white-collar technology professionals returned from the US to India between January and September 2026.

For comparison, the estimated number was 15,100 for the whole of 2025, 9,800 in 2024 and 7,200 in 2023.

These figures highlight the growing scale of talent movement between the two countries.

We also looked at data from the US National Science Board, which found that India accounted for 29% of foreign-born workers in US science and engineering occupations in 2024. China accounted for another 12%.

This demonstrates the significant presence of Asian-origin professionals in the American technology and science workforce.

For India and other Asian economies, experienced professionals returning from the US could bring valuable technical knowledge, international business experience and exposure to global markets.

Companies operating in Asia may find opportunities to attract professionals with experience in areas such as artificial intelligence, software development and deep technology.

Singapore could also benefit from this movement because of its established technology and innovation ecosystem.

However, we believe that attracting experienced professionals will require more than changes in US immigration policies. Asian economies will need to provide competitive compensation, meaningful career opportunities and access to emerging technology sectors.

The opportunity is there, but retaining international talent will depend on the opportunities available at home.

What These Findings Mean for Founders Planning US Expansion

Our research points to a changing approach to international expansion among Asian founders.

The commercial reasons for entering the United States remain strong, particularly access to customers and opportunities to grow revenue. At the same time, immigration considerations are becoming a bigger part of the planning process.

Founders are increasingly thinking about more than simply moving to the US. They need to consider which team members should relocate, where engineering and product functions should remain, and which immigration pathway may be appropriate for their circumstances.

We believe that planning these decisions early can help founders understand the different requirements involved in establishing a US presence.

Immigration strategy should be considered alongside business expansion, rather than treated as a separate decision after the company has already made its plans.

The right immigration pathway will depend on an individual's qualifications, professional achievements, company structure and intended activities in the United States. There is no single route that works for every founder or professional.

At Beyond Border, our focus is on helping founders and highly skilled professionals understand their options and navigate the US immigration process with support from specialist immigration attorneys.

The findings from our research reinforce what we continue to see in our work: founders remain interested in the American market, but they want to make informed decisions about how to get there.

For Asian startups, the next phase of US expansion may not involve moving entire teams or operations overseas. Instead, it could involve establishing a smaller presence in the US while continuing to build products, develop technology and retain talent in Asia.

US expansion remains firmly on the agenda for Asian founders. The challenge now is finding the right way to make that expansion work.

About Beyond Border

We help founders and highly skilled professionals explore US visa and employment-based green-card options, with a focus on O-1 visas and EB-1A and EB-2 NIW pathways.

Our services include eligibility assessments, petition preparation and connections with vetted specialist immigration attorneys.

We have supported thousands of founders, including individuals associated with companies backed by Y Combinator, Techstars, Antler and 500 Global. Our clients also include cross-border technology companies such as SuperOps and Biorce.

Beyond Border operates across nine countries, with offices in the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore, Hong Kong, India, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Nigeria.