Martin Basiri is the Founder and CEO of Passage, the most advanced AI platform that automates talent assessment and application processing for higher education institutions and employers. Through its sister company, Passage Funding, Passage also provides financial assistance to ambitious international students and refugees studying in areas of critical job shortage in Canada, such as healthcare, STEM, and trades.
Prior to founding Passage, Mr. Basiri co-founded and served as CEO of ApplyBoard, the international student recruitment platform. Under his leadership, ApplyBoard grew from a startup in the University of Waterloo’s Accelerator Centre into the primary pathway for higher education institutions to recruit international students globally—helping over one million students from 100+ countries. He raised over $500 million in funding, making ApplyBoard one of Canada’s most prominent unicorn startups.
Mr. Basiri’s journey in North America began in 2010 as an international student in Canada, where he completed his Master of Science in Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering at the University of Waterloo. His own transformative experience as an international student inspired him to launch ApplyBoard and later Passage, with the mission of providing the same life-changing opportunities to millions of students worldwide. He believes that education is a right, not a privilege, and has dedicated his life to “educating the world.”
Mr. Basiri began his entrepreneurial journey in high school with his first company and continued innovating while earning his bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering at Shiraz University. His work has earned national and international recognition, including the Governor General’s Innovation Award (2022), EY Entrepreneur of the Year – Ontario (2022), the University of Waterloo Young Alumni Achievement Medal (2019), the Geneva International Invention Gold Medal, and the Kharazmi National Youth Innovation Medal, among numerous industry honors for ApplyBoard’s rapid growth and impact.
He resides in the Greater Toronto Area and continues to champion policies that link education, immigration, and economic growth.
