Increasing Interest in the EB-2 NIW Startup R&D Program 

Like a stone cast into a calm pond, Empowered Startups’ recent trade mission to Vietnam has sent ripples through the entrepreneurial community of the South Asian nation. At well-attended seminar in Ho Chi Minh City, government representatives and legal experts joined key members of Empowered’s leadership team to showcase the premier pathways for accomplished businesspeople considering expand to North America.   

Excitement for EB-2 NIW 

In addition to the extremely positive response from the audience on location, the increased interest in the weeks that have followed has been noteworthy, to say the least.  

“We’ve definitely seen a surge in the number of genuine inquiries about our EB-2 NIW Startup R&D Program from interested Vietnamese entrepreneurs,” confirmed Shawn Olson, Vice President of Business Development for Empowered Startups.  

“Empowered Startups has built a strong relationship with Vietnam over the past decade by assisting nearly 150 founders expand their businesses globally, the majority of them to North America. Many Vietnamese investors and entrepreneurs are keenly aware of how the US market can serve their expansion goals, but they are less familiar with how to access those opportunities. Once they see the numerous advantages our EB-2 NIW Program has to offer, they realize how much more efficient and effective the EB-2 NIW pathway is relative to other programs like EB-5.” 

Success 

The investment pathway Olson referenced, EB-5, is a longstanding US program that requires candidates to invest a minimum of $850,000 USD in a US project through a regional center. The EB-5 program has received increased scrutiny from US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in recent years due to several instances of fraud. 

By contrast, Empowered’s EB-2 NIW Startup R&D Program pairs participants with top-tier US research universities that endorse the projects they will collaborate on with incoming entrepreneurs and does so at a fraction of the cost of EB-5. This additional measure of validation significantly improves the applicant’s chances for approval by USCIS and is one of the reasons that Empowered Startups boasts a success rate of 100% approval for its EB-2 NIW Startup R&D applicants. Making the program even more appealing is its premium processing option, which guarantees a response from USCIS within 45 days of applying. 

Talent In Demand 

Despite recent political changes in the American government, the US Department of Commerce is committed to welcoming transnational talent to the world’s largest economy.  

Sarah Pelud, an accomplished US immigration lawyer, spoke to the United States’ desire to attract international investors to launch research and development projects, and highlighted  particularly those related to the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields.  

“As a result of these policy changes, the popularity has gone up.  And what this means is there’s more applicants, so there’s more scrutiny.  So, it’s really important now, more than ever, to have a well-thought-out and well-documented case,  which is what Empowered Startups really helps with,” explained Pelud. She then elaborated on how Empowered’s EB-2 program is uniquely structured to meet all of the criteria required for the critical National Interest Waiver (NIW) component of this pathway. 

“We have R&D agreements with top research universities. This really cinches the substantial merit argument. It also supports national importance. You have a U.S. university supporting you in what you plan to do.” “ 

“Empowered also collaborates with a professional business writing service to make sure there’s a detailed business plan, which is a very important part of your application, and then provides support post-filing. So having a contact, a company, an accelerator program in the U.S. helps convince USCIS that you will be able to achieve what you set out to achieve.” 

Return Engagement 

Given the response following its inaugural event in Ho Chi Minh City, Empowered Startups plans to return to Vietnam in the near future for another in-person event. While a confirmed date has yet to be announced, interested parties should monitor impending announcements and upcoming developments by subscribing to Empowered’s monthly newsletter and frequently checking its website.  

Find more information on Empowered Startups’ EB-2 NIW Startup R&D Program