(L-r): Rajat Suri, Co-Founder of Lyft, with Chuck Garsia, Columbia University, formerly at Bloomberg.

The Open Atlas Summit 2025 brought together immigrant entrepreneurs and professionals at the India Community Center in Milpitas, Calif. Dushyant Patel reflects on the challenging but rewarding immigrant journey.

Spanning two days, the summit combined inspiration, practical advice, and networking opportunities with renewed energy and optimism for immigrants.

Kenny Sebastian puts on a show for the Summit attendees.

The first day began with sessions featuring Rajat Suri, co-founder of Lyft; Chuck Garsia, professor of organizational leadership at Columbia University and former Head of Global Marketing at Bloomberg; and a lighter performance by comedian Kenny Sebastian. In a talk with Chuck Garsia, he drew lessons from his climb of Mount Kilimanjaro: reaching the summit wasn’t the true goal—getting back safely to family was. That metaphor carried over into his reflections on Wall Street and life: success is never about shortcuts.

Garsia shared how his tutelage under billionaire leaders, especially Mike Bloomberg, shaped his perspective. He emphasized the intersection of competence and character, reminding us that credibility is tested daily. His advice was practical and profound: communicate clearly, treat people with respect, deliver on commitments, and avoid needless mistakes. He also stressed mindfulness, meditation, healthy eating, and exercise as anchors for intentional living. His words, “Success is not the avoidance of stress, success comes with the values that you ascribe to the way you want to live your life,” stayed with me.

Tennis legend turned Philanthropist, Vijay Amritraj giving a keynote.

The second day brought reminders of resilience and the immigrant dream from Tanay Kothari, founder of Wispr Flow AI; Ajay Bhutoria, former advisor to President Biden; and tennis legend turned philanthropist, Vijay Amritraj. Their stories show how generations of immigrants have weathered challenges, built credibility, and carved out space for themselves. The panel on going from “Idea to Startup” underscored that immigrant founders cannot wait for perfect conditions. The advice was clear: share your journey at every stage, believe deeply in the problem you are solving, and let users validate your vision. Immigration complexities may be real, but they should not stop you from starting.

What struck most was the mindset shift: instead of approaching investors or opportunities from a place of weakness, immigrant founders must see themselves as uniquely positioned to lead and innovate. Bhutoria put it poignantly, addressing those torn between staying in the U.S. or going back. If the reason is family, go back without hesitation. “Tough times don’t last, but tough people do.” Resilience has always defined immigrant success stories, and shapes the path forward.

The summit ingrains why the USA is seen as the land of opportunity.  Today’s immigration pathways feel uncertain with diminishing incentives to stay. This gathering gave a fresh perspective to the recent immigration turmoil. Meeting triumphant immigrants give hope that where there is a will, there is a way.

 

All photos courtesy of Open Atlas Summit.