b) Noone has to know.
c) Although different apporaches exist,my opinion is that you should have probably already made something that a lot of people use even before you talk to the VCs.By doing this you were working for your company without an H1B.But this issue can be solved if you refer to point - B above.
Except the investors, who would realise immediately. It's all very well to say that USCIS "shouldn't" and "probably won't" do things, but:
1) That doesn't reassure me much. I don't want to be deported.
2) That shouldn't reassure an investor much, either. If they realise you are going against immigration law they might run from your company at sprinting pace once they realise the founder could be deported.
I want these kind of changes because I want to be legitimate.
-But at least now the dream is POSSIBLE as opposed to IMPOSSIBLE.
-You have to make up for these shortcomings by making something that much more awesome.
-And lastly if a VC is not willing to take this simple risk,maybe he should drop the letter V from his designation.
a) willing to invest in someone who is waiting for a visa
b) willing to use their contact network to get their investment secured with a visa for the founders. I've seen this happen multiple times - good lawyers pulled into the deal to expedite visa issues.
It is in the investor's best interest.