Right, so what I would do is develop it more customized to the specific university he's in, until they like HIM/HER so much because HE/SHE solves so many problems with HIS/HER software that they figure something out for HIM/HER to stay Stateside. An American institution can figure this out for him. That's what he's gotta shoot for, the exact opposite of the startup route.

EDIT: and target it for them as a competitive advantage FOR THEM, so they end up sponsoring a more secure visa and future.