Image: Vasanthan shared a photo of him at the Space Needle in Seattle
For most people, immigration is a legal transaction, forms, visas, deadlines. For Vasanthan Ramakrishnan, it’s personal. Long before he was the founder of Ascend HSI Advisory Partners, a 60+ member global immigration advisory firm, he was an advocate with a deeper purpose: to fight for human dignity and self-determination.
That purpose first took form through the Feminist Pen Foundation, a nonprofit focused on amplifying underrepresented voices and providing platforms for community-led change. “My roots were always in advocacy,” Vasanthan explains. “The medium changed, from grassroots human rights to global migration strategy, but the mission remained the same: empowering people to move, thrive, and belong.”
From Pen to Policy
Through Feminist Pen, Vasanthan helped over 1,000 individuals across four countries in five years, working on projects ranging from education access to community storytelling. But something shifted when he personally faced the U.S. immigration system as a high-skilled applicant.
“I went to lawyers expecting advice, but what I got was dismissal,” he recalls. “They didn’t see my story. They saw a list of documents.”
That experience became a turning point. Rather than be disempowered by the system, Vasanthan decided to build what he wished existed: a firm that combined legal strategy with deep mentorship, immigration policy with advocacy insight.
In 2023, he launched Ascend HSI Advisory Partners. Two years later, it has helped more than 300 professionals from over 10 countries navigate complex pathways like EB1A and O1A, with clients ranging from academic researchers to startup founders to Fortune 100 employees.
Immigration as a Tool for Self-Actualization
At Ascend, immigration isn’t the end goal, it’s a means to unlock a larger life mission. “We don’t just ask what visa you qualify for,” says Vasanthan. “We ask what you want your life to look like five years from now, and then reverse-engineer a strategy.”
That mindset is what has attracted a uniquely loyal client base. With zero marketing or sales, Ascend’s entire business is referral-driven. The same care and advocacy spirit that drove Feminist Pen now drives a professional consultancy.
A Three-Pronged Support System
One of Ascend’s most innovative contributions is its three-prong support model: a client success manager for logistics, a dedicated EB1A coach for technical profile strategy, and Vasanthan himself overseeing strategy and mentoring.
“It’s not just about being available, it’s about being present,” he says. “Clients know that someone is championing their case not just because it’s a job, but because it matters.”
This model draws clear inspiration from Vasanthan’s nonprofit background, where active listening, community-building, and mutual trust were non-negotiable.
Tech with a Soul
Despite being firmly rooted in the immigration-tech space, Vasanthan is cautious about automating too much. “Yes, AI can help coordinate, track deadlines, even draft documents. But can it reassure a client during a panic attack the night before a visa deadline? No.”
He’s adamant about retaining the human fabric of his firm. “The companies we admire most for scale, somewhere along the way, they lost their humanity. I refuse to let that happen here.”
Vasanthan expands on these themes in his new book, “Success DNA: Mastering Persistence in Leadership and Life,” which hit Amazon’s bestseller charts in June 2025. The book explores how grit, care, and purpose can coexist in building something world-class.
📘 Find the book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1637353871?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title
🔗 Connect with Vasanthan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vasanthan-ramakrishnan/
📊 Track his growth on Crunchbase: https://www.crunchbase.com/person/vasanthan-ramakrishnan
From Protest to Process
For Vasanthan, the thread from Feminist Pen to Ascend isn’t accidental, it’s the blueprint. “I always say we didn’t pivot, we expanded. Advocacy became a strategy. Strategy became policy.”
In an age where systems feel impersonal and justice feels slow, he’s reminding us that professional success doesn’t have to come at the cost of the soul. Sometimes, the best founders are still advocates at heart.
Written in partnership with Tom White
