Priyanka Kulkarni, a former Machine Learning Scientist at Microsoft, has transformed her personal frustration with the U.S. visa system into innovation. She is the founder of Casium, an AI-powered platform designed to simplify and speed up the U.S. employment-based visa process.
The Inspiration Behind Casium
After living in the U.S. for nine years on various visas, Priyanka experienced firsthand the confusion, delays, and stress of the American immigration process. That struggle became her motivation — “to bring speed and transparency to an otherwise tangled process.”
What Is Casium?
Casium is an AI-driven immigration management platform that allows employers to handle visa cases entirely online. It replaces manual spreadsheets, emails, and back-and-forth coordination with law firms through automation.
The platform automates every step — from Assessment and Compliance Review to Filing — making the process faster, more reliable, and error-free.
Its key innovation, AI Error Detection, identifies mistakes in documentation automatically, significantly reducing human error.
Casium has already helped hundreds of visa applicants and boasts an impressive approval rate.
How Much Time Does Casium Save?
Traditional visa filing can take 3 to 6 months, but Casium’s AI-powered process brings that down to just 10 business days.
The platform offers a free initial assessment, followed by a flat fee based on visa type. To better serve businesses, Casium is also introducing a subscription-based model.
How Does Casium Work?
Casium was built to adapt to the ever-changing immigration landscape. For example, during the Trump administration, when a proposal surfaced to impose a $100,000 fee on new H-1B applications, Casium’s system could have helped employers adjust instantly.
Using AI and data analytics, Casium navigates visa complexities in real time, offering seamless, adaptive solutions for both employers and applicants.
Who Is Priyanka Kulkarni?
Born and raised in India, Priyanka earned her Bachelor’s in Computer Engineering from the University of Mumbai and a Master’s in Applied Mathematics from Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering.
She later joined Microsoft under an H-1B visa, where she spent nearly a decade working on machine learning and enterprise AI strategy.
The Turning Point
While at Microsoft, Priyanka realized how restrictive and inefficient the U.S. visa process was. “The process can be so tangled that it often stalls career growth,” she said.
During her time at the AI2 Incubator in Seattle (2024), she applied for an EB-1 visa, often called the “Einstein Visa.” The frustrating three-month experience with multiple law firms made her realize — the immigration process was long overdue for innovation.
How Casium Was Born
On her first day at the incubator, Priyanka was asked what she wanted to build. Her answer was instant and bold:
“I WANT TO BUILD IMMIGRATION TECHNOLOGY.”
That declaration marked the beginning of Casium.
For Priyanka, AI isn’t just about chatbots or image tools — it’s about solving real human challenges, like the bureaucratic maze of global immigration.
Casium’s Impact and Future Vision
Casium’s mission extends far beyond the United States. The company plans to expand to other countries’ work visa and immigration systems, bringing transparency and speed worldwide.
Next, Casium aims to use AI insights to predict and prevent visa rejections, while collaborating with consultancies and government agencies to modernize the immigration process globally.
Conclusion
Priyanka Kulkarni’s journey is a story of resilience, innovation, and purpose — turning personal struggle into a global solution.
By digitizing one of the world’s most complex bureaucratic systems, she has created a platform that simplifies life for millions of skilled professionals.
Casium is proof that when technology is guided by empathy and purpose, it doesn’t just streamline processes — it transforms lives.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What is a startup?
A startup is a new business venture built around an innovative idea that solves a real-world problem, often using technology. - What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
AI refers to technology that enables machines to think, learn, and act like humans. - Who gets an H-1B visa?
It’s a U.S. visa granted to skilled professionals employed by American companies in specialized fields. - What is an EB-1 visa?
Also known as the “Einstein Visa,” it’s granted to individuals with extraordinary abilities in their field. - What is a startup incubator?
An incubator offers funding, mentorship, and resources to help startups grow and succeed.
