Gale, a startup that uses AI to streamline the US visa application process for employers and workers, has raised $2.7 million in seed funding.
Its cofounders, who are all immigrants, launched the startup out of Y Combinator’s 2025 winter cohort following their own frustrations navigating the US visa system.
The trio — Rahul Gudise, Rishabh Sambare, and Haokun Qin — told Business Insider they found the process confusing, full of delays, and bureaucratic.
“If I wanted a question answered about my visa status, it would take the attorneys like four business days to get back to me, minimum,” said Gudise, who previously worked at Tesla and Nvidia.
He added that the traditional approach of using law firms means cases can drag on for weeks unless clients are willing to pay premium fees. “Simple questions can take multiple steps to resolve because they have to be relayed up and down a chain of staff and attorneys,” Gudise said.
Gale’s web-based platform automates much of the administrative work involved in visa applications. Instead of manually filling out lengthy forms, users can upload their résumés and passports for processing by the Gale platform. A licensed immigration lawyer conducts a final review before submission. Right now, the startup is focused on H-1B visas.
Gudise said the goal is to make onboarding “as fast as possible” for applicants, and to free up time for lawyers by automating repetitive tasks.
“Lawyers don’t have to spend time on busywork or rely on paralegals for document prep,” Gudise said. The team aims to answer client questions within hours, rather than days.
Compliance is another key focus for Gale. Gudise said most law firms hand off the process once the visa is approved, leaving employers to handle ongoing requirements on their own.
Gale is building out its platform to monitor changes like job titles or promotions that might impact a worker’s visa status. The team is also developing integrations with company HR systems to help employers stay compliant as requirements change.
Gale plans to use the new funding to boost its compliance tools and grow the team. Building new partnerships with employers and immigration lawyers is also a key focus as the company scales, Qin told BI.
“At the end of the day, we want to promote legal immigration to the States and help employers stay compliant. This is the way to do it sustainably,” Gudise added.
The startup’s seed round was led by Axiom Partners, with participation from Pioneer Fund, 468 Capital, Elevation Capital, and Y Combinator.
Here’s an exclusive look at the pitch deck Gale used to raise $2.7 million.
