Second Annual Open Atlas Summit to Convene High-Skilled Immigrants, Founders, Investors and Students in Silicon Valley

Open Atlas and American South Asian Network (ASAN) unite 1,000+ high-skilled immigrants, founders, investors, students for 2 days of career/ startup programming

MILPITAS, CA, UNITED STATES, August 7, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Open Atlas and the American South Asian Network (ASAN) will host the second annual Open Atlas Summit on August 21–22, 2026, at the India Community Center in Milpitas, California.

The two-day summit is expected to convene more than 1,000 high-skilled immigrants, founders, engineers, students, investors, employers, attorneys and community leaders for practical programming focused on building careers, companies and long-term lives in the United States.

Building on last year’s inaugural gathering, the 2026 summit will include more than 50 speakers, three programming tracks, a startup job fair, a hackathon, founder-focused networking, legal consultations and direct access to experienced professionals across technology, entrepreneurship, investment and immigration.

“Open Atlas was created because talented immigrants were repeatedly encountering the same challenges in isolation - unclear information, limited access and difficulty finding people who understood their circumstances,” said Nikin Tharan, co-founder and curator of Open Atlas. “The summit turns an online community into a physical space where people can meet potential employers, co-founders, investors, attorneys, collaborators and friends. The goal is to help people make meaningful progress, not simply exchange contact information.”

Programming for Founders, Professionals and Students - The summit will feature three primary programming tracks.

Founders and Builders will address fundraising, go-to-market strategy, company building and immigration considerations facing immigrant entrepreneurs from the idea stage through institutional investment.

Career and Craft will feature experienced professionals discussing technology careers, management, compensation, hiring, layoffs, professional visibility and career mobility while navigating immigration-related constraints.

Visas and Belonging will provide practical conversations with immigration attorneys, former government officials and immigrants who have navigated O-1, EB-1A, EB-2 NIW and other immigration pathways.

The summit will begin Friday, August 21, with a startup job fair and hackathon connecting employers, founders, technical professionals, students and community members.

Saturday, August 22, will feature keynotes, fireside conversations, workshops and tactical sessions covering immigration, entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence, admissions, personal finance, professional visibility and alternative career paths.

“High-skilled immigrants contribute to American innovation as employees, founders, investors, creators, researchers and community leaders,” said Nitin Bajaj, co-founder of the American South Asian Network and co-host and speaker at the Summit. “The Open Atlas Summit brings together the relationships and practical resources people need at important stages of their journeys. Students can meet mentors and employers, founders can connect with investors and experienced operators, and professionals can learn from people who have navigated many of the same decisions.”

Two Growing National Communities

Open Atlas has grown into a community of more than 10,000 high-skilled immigrants, including founders, engineers, students and creators building careers, companies and lives in the United States. ASAN has grown to over 45,000 people and is the leading national platform for young South Asian creators, entrepreneurs, executives and students across the United States. ASAN's programs create access to mentorship, professional opportunity, leadership development, entrepreneurship, representation, culture and strategic relationships.

The second annual Open Atlas Summit combines the specialized experience and community of Open Atlas with ASAN’s national network of students, professionals, founders, investors, executives, mentors and institutional partners.

“People often enter an ASAN program looking for one opportunity - a mentor, an introduction, a job, an investor or a community that understands their experience,” said Mohini Todkari of ASAN and co-host of the Open Atlas Summit. “Our responsibility is to turn that first connection into something useful. At the summit, attendees will be able to learn from people who have faced similar decisions while building relationships across career stages, industries and generations.”

Part of ASAN’s Broader Partnership Strategy

Open Atlas is one of many organizations working with ASAN across professional domains, industries and regions of the United States. ASAN develops partnerships that combine its national reach and community infrastructure with the specialized expertise, institutional access or regional presence of its collaborators. These partnerships support programs in entrepreneurship, professional development, mentorship, health and well-being, media, culture, student leadership and community engagement.

The Open Atlas Summit reflects that approach by bringing two established communities together around a clearly defined objective: helping high-skilled immigrants build successful careers, companies and lives in the United States.

“The strongest communities do more than bring together people with similar backgrounds,” said Rathnakumar Udayakumar, co-founder and curator of Open Atlas. “They help members find trustworthy information, form consequential relationships and take their next step with greater confidence. Working with ASAN allows us to connect Open Atlas members with a broader national ecosystem while introducing more students, professionals and founders to the high-skilled immigrant community.”

Connecting Founders, Investors, Students and Mentors Nationwide

ASAN’s broader programming has brought founders and investors together through Investor–Founder Connect gatherings in Austin, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, the New York Tri-State area, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, D.C., and many other regions across the United States.

The organization has also convened entrepreneurs, executives, students and mentors through business expos, founder conversations, professional programs, campus initiatives and industry-specific events.

Through SANGAM - South Asians for Networking, Growth and Mentoring—ASAN connects students and early-career talent with mentors, employers, professional networks and career opportunities.

These programs are designed to create sustained access across generations and industries rather than limiting engagement to isolated networking events.

“Last year’s Open Atlas Summit gave attendees practical guidance, meaningful connections and greater confidence in navigating their careers,” said Shreya Mehta, a speaker and attendee at the inaugural summit. “As both a speaker and attendee, I saw firsthand how valuable that environment was.”

Additional Investor and Founder Programming

ASAN and Open Atlas will also bring founders and investors together through VC x Founder Connect, an intimate gathering in San Jose for early-stage founders, venture capital investors and startup ecosystem leaders. Designed for founders from pre-seed through Series B and active investors, the gathering will create space for substantive conversations about companies, fundraising, investment priorities and future opportunities beyond a traditional rapid-pitch format. The event continues ASAN’s work to connect founders with investors and experienced operators while giving capital providers greater access to emerging companies and talent from the ASAN and Open Atlas communities.

Registration for VC x Founder Connect is available at: https://luma.com/asan-vcfmixer-0826

Speakers, Sponsors and Legal Guidance

Announced summit speakers include venture capital investors, technology executives, founders, immigration attorneys, creators, former U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officials and professionals who have navigated high-skill immigration pathways.

Participants will also have access to a Legal Lounge offering one-on-one consultations related to starting a company, protecting intellectual property and founder interests, developing an immigration strategy and evaluating options before significant career or personal decisions.

Manifest Law is a sponsor of the 2026 Open Atlas Summit.

Additional speakers, sponsors and programming are now available.

Event Information

Open Atlas Summit 2026

Dates: Friday, August 21–Saturday, August 22, 2026
Location: India Community Center, 525 Los Coches Street, Milpitas, California
Registration: https://luma.com/8c4qusfp

Student and professional tickets are available.

About Open Atlas

Open Atlas is a community of more than 10,000 high-skilled immigrants, including founders, engineers, students and creators building careers, companies and lives in the United States. The community operates through online groups, educational resources, local gatherings and its annual flagship summit, helping members exchange job leads, referrals, immigration experiences, admissions guidance and professional support. Learn more at https://theopenatlas.org.

About the American South Asian Network

The American South Asian Network is a national nonprofit organization and the leading platform for young South Asian creators, entrepreneurs, executives and students in the United States.

ASAN has grown to over 45,000 people and creates measurable value through community, mentorship, professional opportunity, representation, leadership development, entrepreneurship, culture and strategic partnerships. ASAN’s initiatives include SANGAM, South Asian Spotlight, The INDUStry Show, Vitality, the Volunteer Excellence Awards and ASAN Fellows.

Through national convenings, campus-to-career programs, storytelling platforms and cross-sector partnerships, ASAN connects students, professionals, founders, creators, executives, investors and community leaders with relationships and resources that support long-term advancement.

Learn more at https://asan.fyi

Lyra Aaryahi
Brand Genieus
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