Is student->H1B->green card the only path available for entrepreneurs looking to set up shop in the US? That is an incredibly long path: especially the H1B->green card step, which can potentially take as long as a decade.
If you happen to be in Australia or New Zealand and take part for a couple of years, your chances are actually pretty good. Everywhere else, not so much.
One really roundabout way is for you to own a foreign company which is the majority stakeholder in a US company. Thus, if and when you get funding, you can come on an exec visa (an exec of the parent company). The caveat is that your foreign company must have a steady cashflow as well.
H1B only requires a sponsor who guarantees a position, so you don't need to be a student, only that you have a bachelor degree or the equivalent work experience (which presupposes at least 12 years of active employment). A very complex process, but it's possible.
Does anyone know of alternate routes?