The Startup Podcast Insiders React: Tech Talent Pool to Be Decimated by New Fee + OpenAI Jobs Platform, $1B for Dishwashing Robots
Sep 25, 2025
A looming crisis brews as a new $100K H-1B visa fee threatens to drain Silicon Valley of its top talent, potentially redirecting immigrant founders to rival countries. Meanwhile, Meta unveils smart glasses that blend AR with stylish design, challenging Apple’s approach. Figure AI secures a massive $1B funding to advance humanoid robots for practical household tasks. Lastly, OpenAI’s launch of a jobs platform raises questions about its genuine intentions in the realm of AI employment.
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Visa Fee Risks Draining Global Tech Talent
- The new $100,000 H‑1B fee was rolled out poorly and created immediate chaos for travelers and employers.
- Yaniv and Chris say the policy risks driving global talent away and weakening US innovation leadership.
Policy Hits The Wrong Systemic Levers
- The hosts argue the administration mixes a kernel of truth about H‑1B problems with bad-faith, incompetent solutions.
- They warn the fee is transactional thinking that ignores long-term ecosystem benefits of immigration.
Act Fast To Capture Relocated Founders
- If talent leaves the US, other countries must move quickly to capture it by fixing faster hiring, funding, and legal frameworks.
- Founders in Canada, UK, Australia and EU should prepare to scale local networks and risk-tolerant capital to seize that opportunity.
