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Left US to build American-Indian dream: Entrepreneur as more give up H-1B
Former H-1B holder Prashanth Shenoy says leaving the U.S. was “best decision."
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Malvika Choudhary - Tue, 14, Oct 2025
- 14:05 EDT
- 33
Prashanth Shenoy / X (Prashanth Shenoy)
Entrepreneur Prashanth Shenoy, co-founder of the legal tech firm UniCourt, sparked wide discussion online after sharing his journey from being an H-1B visa holder in the United States to returning to India to build what he calls the “American-Indian (AI) dream.”
In a post on X, Shenoy reflected on his decision to leave behind a stable career in the U.S. to pursue entrepreneurship in India. “I once had an H-1B,” he wrote. “I had a great software engineering job in the US, was on H-1B after my F1 and built great products. Loved my job.”
Also Read: GOPIO-CT discusses H-1B visa concerns with Congressman Jim Himes
Shenoy said that in 2010, he decided to quit his job, sell his car, and return home to Mangaluru. “One fine day in 2010, I decided to quit that job, sold my car, broke my lease agreement, and two weeks later I moved back home to Mangaluru,” he posted, calling it “the best decision” of his life.
Four years later, he co-founded UniCourt with U.S.-based entrepreneur Josh Blandi. The company, now in its eleventh year, has become “the primary source for court cases and litigation analytics in the US legal tech landscape,” Shenoy said.
Encouraging others to follow suit, he noted that many professionals are now giving up their H-1B visas to build from India. “So have no fear, you can today not just build the American dream but now build the American-Indian (AI) dream from India,” he wrote, referencing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remark about the “AI Dream” during one of his U.S. visits.
Shenoy also highlighted other founders who have taken similar paths — including those behind Flashmates, Riffle, and SpotDraft — all of which are building products for global markets from India.
I once had an H1B..
— Prashanth Shenoy (@pshenoymi) October 12, 2025
I had a great Software Engineering job in the US, was on H1B after my F1 and built great products. Loved my job.
One fine day in 2010, I decided to quit that job, sold my car, broke my lease agreement and 2 weeks later I moved back home to Mangaluru.
Best…
His post drew widespread attention, with several users calling his journey “inspiring” and “a gentle nudge” for Indian professionals abroad. Some, however, raised questions about financial readiness and the risks involved in moving back without a safety net.
Among those responding to Shenoy’s post was Anand Shreekar, founder, president, and CEO of Engineersoft Inc. and Genesis.AI Inc., who emphasized that creating value matters more than geography.
“It is our choice where we live. The important thing is to create value wherever we live,” he wrote. Shreekar said he had built high-tech steel plants across India earlier in his career and has spent the past 25 years managing large enterprise projects in the U.S. He added that he now runs two tech corporations in California and has filed three AI-driven patents this year.
Another user offered a motivational perspective, writing, “The biggest fear is our own mind, in my view. Once we cross that barrier, a lot of things can happen through which we can shape our destiny.”
Shenoy’s post comes at a time when an increasing number of Indian professionals are reconsidering their long-term plans abroad amid growing uncertainty around U.S. immigration policies.
Rising H-1B visa fees, long green card backlogs, and widespread layoffs in major tech firms have contributed to instability for foreign workers. Data also show a decline in Indian participation in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, with fewer graduates choosing to stay in the U.S. after completing their studies.
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