Martin Basiri

Martin Basiri is Founder & CEO of Passage, which enables immigrants and international students by providing financial access, and Co-Founder & former CEO of ApplyBoard, the world’s largest online international student recruitment platform. Martin, an inventor from a young age, began his own international student journey in 2010 where he got his Masters in Mechatronics Engineering from the University of Waterloo. He helped his brothers, Meti and Massi, navigate the same complex process of applying to study abroad, and the three of them founded ApplyBoard in 2015. As CEO of ApplyBoard from 2015-2022, the company helped 500,000 students with their study abroad journey and became globally recognized with a valuation of over $3B, and attracting $500 million in investments. Driven by his commitment to “educate the world”, Martin started Passage in 2023 to provide access to life-changing educational and career opportunities for individuals who lack the financial resources.