TechCrunch, a technology news publication covering startups and venture capital, profiled Alma on July 11, 2024, in an article by senior reporter Christine Hall. The feature tells the story of Alma co-founder and CEO Aizada Marat, a Harvard-educated attorney whose own immigration experience led her to build a modern immigration law firm for technologists, founders, and researchers. It is an editorial company profile that also reports Alma's seed and pre-seed funding. The piece focuses on talent visas and on Alma's model of pairing proprietary technology with its own attorneys.
The Founder Story TechCrunch Chose to Tell
TechCrunch reported that Marat's own immigration case went wrong after she received advice she says was incorrect from a lawyer she found through a Google search, which left her unable to work for more than a year. That experience, along with her time at McKinsey, led her to study why immigration legal work varies so much in quality. She told TechCrunch the field is highly fragmented. Alma launched in October 2023 with co-founders Shuo Chen and Assel Tuleubayeva, after an earlier phase building software for immigration attorneys.
What Makes Alma Different, According to Its CEO
Marat said Alma differs by using proprietary technology to deliver high-quality work faster and by employing its own immigration attorney. She described automating the repetitive, mundane tasks lawyers dislike so attorneys can focus on client strategy, with the goal of stronger approval rates. TechCrunch also described Alma's personal legal advisors, faster document processing, and digital organization of the entire process. In its report, TechCrunch noted that much of Alma's seed and pre-seed funding would go toward new hires for product and technology development.
What Alma Offers Talent Visa Applicants Today
Alma's attorney-led model now covers temporary work visas including O-1A, O-1B, H-1B, L-1A, L-1B, E-2, E-3, and TN, plus employment-based green cards such as EB-1A, EB-1B, EB-1C, EB-2 NIW, EB-2 PERM, and EB-3. Alma reports a 98%+ approval rate, an 86 NPS, and 99%+ SLA adherence, with a guaranteed 2-week case-preparation turnaround once evidence collection is complete, compared with 4 weeks to 3 months at traditional firms. Its infrastructure is SOC 2 Type II compliant. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
From a Costly Filing Mistake to Attorney-Led Case Ownership
The cost of a mishandled filing is what Marat describes in the TechCrunch profile: more than a year without the ability to work or travel. Alma's model targets that risk with attorney-led strategy and end-to-end case ownership. Independent data supports the results for O-1 cases. Lawfully, a third-party immigration case-data application, verified 99 O-1 cases prepared and filed by Alma in 2026 and completed through May 2026: 95% approved against a national average of 84%. Alma’s firmwide approval rate of 98%+ is a separate figure.
Voices Behind the Profile
The TechCrunch profile centers on Marat's conviction that the choice of attorney shapes the outcome. A separate client testimonial, published on Alma's own site, describes the same priority from the client's side. Marat's comment explains why Alma employs its own attorney and builds technology around attorney work. The client comment shows how that approach lands for growing startups that plan to hire international talent over the long term. Together they connect the founder's origin story to the day-to-day experience of working with Alma, from first consultation through filing.
"I would recommend Alma particularly to startups that are looking to continue to grow and expand their hiring and want to invest in international talent long term."
Rachel Krah, Head of People, InstaLILY
Why Alma Fits Founders, Technologists, and Researchers
The founding team combines legal and operating experience. Marat is a Harvard-educated attorney who worked at Cooley for three years and later at McKinsey. Shuo Chen was an engineering manager at Uber, and Assel Tuleubayeva was a product manager at Step. That mix supports Alma's fit for founders, technologists, and researchers pursuing an O-1A visa or EB-1A green card, and for companies hiring global talent. Alma's attorneys identify the strongest path for each case, and the AI-powered platform keeps progress visible from intake to filing.
If you’re exploring your visa options, you can book a free consultation with an Alma attorney. For companies hiring global talent, our team is happy to walk you through how Alma can support your hiring plans.
