Every revolution begins with a personal story — one rooted in challenge, resilience, and an unwavering belief that technology can be a force for good. For Priyanka Kulkarni, that story began in Mumbai, took shape in the bustling innovation corridors of Microsoft, and found its purpose through Casium, her trailblazing AI-powered immigration tech startup.
Today, Priyanka Kulkarni Casium stands as a symbol of courage and innovation — a reminder that sometimes, the best solutions emerge from personal pain points and professional perseverance.
Priyanka Kulkarni: The Genesis of an Idea – From H-1B Struggles to an AI Dream
For nearly a decade, Priyanka Kulkarni navigated the intricate maze of America’s immigration system as an H-1B visa holder. Despite her stellar academic record — with a Bachelor’s in Computer Engineering from the University of Mumbai, a Master’s in Applied Mathematics from Johns Hopkins University, and a Master’s in Computer Science from the University of Washington — she often found herself entangled in the complex bureaucracy of visa renewals and uncertainty.
“Honestly, it was exhausting and career-limiting,” she recalls. Those experiences planted the seed for what would later become Casium — a mission-driven startup designed to bring transparency, efficiency, and fairness to a system that often leaves even the brightest minds feeling powerless.
A Brilliant Decade at Microsoft: Building the Future of AI
Joining Microsoft right after college on an H-1B visa, Kulkarni quickly rose through the ranks, earning her place as a Senior Machine Learning Scientist within the Azure AI division.
Her work at Microsoft focused on developing large-scale statistical, machine learning, and deep learning models, helping shape the AI strategy for flagship products like Microsoft Office and Azure Cognitive Services. These innovations made millions of users more productive by integrating natural language understanding and AI automation into everyday tasks.
But behind every success lay a silent struggle — the anxiety of visa renewals, career constraints, and the fear of being tied to one employer. For Kulkarni, these challenges became the foundation of her empathy-driven entrepreneurial vision.
Priyanka Kulkarni: Casium – Where Artificial Intelligence Meets Immigration Empowerment
In 2024, when Priyanka joined the AI2 Incubator in Seattle, her mission was crystal clear — to build a solution that could simplify employment-based immigration for both candidates and employers. That mission took form in Casium, a groundbreaking platform that uses AI agents to automate and accelerate visa processes.
Casium offers employers a digital portal to manage visa cases end-to-end, replacing cumbersome Excel sheets and slow, manual workflows with intelligent automation. Within minutes, Casium’s AI scans public data — research papers, patents, and professional profiles — to generate comprehensive dossiers and recommend suitable visas such as H-1B, O-1, or EB-1A.
A licensed network of attorneys and paralegals then reviews these dossiers, ensuring accuracy and compliance. What once took three to six months can now be achieved in under 10 business days — a revolutionary leap forward for global mobility.
The Rise of Casium: Funding, Impact, and Global Recognition
In 2025, Casium raised $5 million in seed funding from leading investors including Maverick Ventures, AI2 Incubator, GTMfund, and Success Venture Partners. This milestone validated not only Kulkarni’s vision but also the growing belief in AI’s ability to reform outdated systems.
Since its inception, Casium has assisted hundreds of skilled professionals in securing visas efficiently and accurately, boasting an exceptionally high approval rate. Employers using Casium have transitioned from application intake to employee onboarding in record time — in some cases, less than a month.
As the global talent landscape evolves amid shifting immigration policies and unpredictable visa reforms, Casium’s tech-first approach offers a beacon of clarity, trust, and empowerment.
“Our Story” – The Heart Behind the Innovation
At its core, Casium is not just a startup; it’s a movement. Priyanka and her team of builders, innovators, and legal experts are united by a common experience — the struggle of navigating complex immigration pathways while trying to chase professional dreams.
In her own words:
“We founded Casium to revolutionize immigration services. Our goal is to provide every skilled professional with a seamless and transparent experience, so they can focus on what they do best — building and innovating.”
This human-centered mission has become Casium’s defining ethos — combining artificial intelligence with emotional intelligence to make immigration accessible, reliable, and humane.
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