New To Silicon Valley? What I Wish I’d Known As An Immigrant Founder Back In 2017

Despite President Donald Trump recently imposing a $100,000 application fee on new H-1B visas, San Francisco remains a magnet for international AI founders keen to tap into the epicenter of innovation.

I was one of those wide-eyed entrepreneurs back in 2017, when I first packed my bags and moved from my native Ukraine to SF to scale my startup, Animal ID. Unfortunately, I ended up returning home demoralized and depressed as my trip had led to so many rejections.

However, I eventually realized that the problem wasn’t my tech — it was that I hadn’t understood the unspoken rules of Silicon Valley.

After spending years trying to break into the Valley, things finally turned around for me. Now, as a startup mentor at Stanford University and Alchemist Accelerator, and founder of Raisable Founders Hub, I’ve made it my mission to help founders, especially immigrant entrepreneurs, avoid the unnecessary mistakes I made.

My approach boils down to a few simple steps: shift your mindset, build a relevant network, validate your idea deeply, and then build your strategy. This is critical for founders navigating today’s funding frenzy.

Here’s what I wish I’d known when I first set foot in Silicon Valley:

Understand the principles by which the Valley lives

Silicon Valley runs on trust, and trust is something that needs to be earned. Therefore, it’s best to start building it long before you arrive: Do your research and connect online with people you’d like to meet up with. Make sure you have something to offer. The Valley rewards those who contribute first.

Building a startup here is different from anywhere else due to extremely high costs, relentless competition and a generally much faster pace of doing things. All of this will test your adaptability — which is a key skill investors will be on the lookout for.

The right mindset can’t be bought, but it can be developed by immersing yourself in the ecosystem and engaging with the right people.

Surround yourself with like-minded people

Silicon Valley is filled with people who will challenge everything you do from day one. The people you surround yourself with can either fuel your growth or drain your momentum. Don’t waste time chasing generic networking opportunities. Instead:

Be intentional. Engage with communities that align with your mission — founders in your vertical, fellow immigrants, AI enthusiasts and so on, who are a few steps ahead of you and have already walked the path you are on, made their own mistakes, and know the best way forward.
Offer value first. Share your expertise, contribute to discussions, and offer your participation or help at events. Don’t lead with an ask, lead with insight.
Engage smartly. Attend events where meaningful conversations happen. Research speakers, ask sharp questions and follow up with genuine interest.

The bottom line is: Focus on nurturing authentic connections that can flourish into long-term collaborations.

Ask for advice first, then intros

Many founders obsess over getting investor introductions. But an intro without the right preparation is a wasted opportunity.

Instead of fixating on warm intros, focus on validating your ideas. Explain to everyone you meet how your solution solves a specific problem and why your team is the best to do it. Absorb their feedback and use it all as an opportunity to refine your pitch. Every discussion helps you understand how to frame your value proposition more effectively. Seek out great mentors. The best ones don’t give you answers — they help you ask better questions.

Finally, not every interaction needs to lead to fundraising, the goal should be to build a sustainable company — so be open to any and all opportunities or connections that come your way. You never know, the next person you meet could become a future co-founder, adviser, customer or even a lifelong friend.

Vasyl Dub is a startup mentor at Stanford University and Alchemist Accelerator, and founder at Raisable Founders Hub.