Vinod Khoslafounder of Khosla Ventures backing builders in energy, health, and AI,

Why Vinod Khosla Is Worried About Trump's Travel Ban

16 Mar 2017 · 1 min

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Vinod Khosla warns that travel restrictions could push tech talent and startups to India and Canada. He points to data showing 83% of Intel's global science competition finalists had immigrant parents, arguing the U.S. risks losing its competitive edge in innovation.

You were saying before, Vinod Khosla, that you are an optimist and we have cloud as a driver, we have data as a driver. I want to know about some of the environments in which we work within Silicon Valley right now, though, and whether they help foster optimism or not, particularly when it comes to the new administration and when it comes to perhaps the second iteration of the travel ban. I sit here with two Indian gentlemen. I'm a Brit as well. But do you worry about perhaps the limitations to some of the immigration the US will see?
I do worry about it. If people like Bhopal can't start a company here, they'll move operations to India. We're starting to see more and more people talking about building outside because if the talent— if they can't acquire the talent here. For educated talent, there's global competition. Canada is dying to get more of this talent. You know, just the National Foundation for American Policy just issued a little thing, said 83% of the finalists in Intel's of the world's science talent competition were born to immigrant parents. Think about it.
83%.
Immigrants, especially the well-educated ones, really, really— and frankly, all immigrants renew our country and company. Countries that have gone into stasis like Japan did so because they were so insular. So I actually believe it's a huge advantage. It's been the source of growth in America and the growth of vibrancy.