Basta

Sheila Saremzadeh, CEO and Founder

Economic Mobility

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Basta’s mission is to close the employment gap for first-generation students, enabling them to secure strong first jobs, launch careers, and change the face of leadership in the workforce.

Year Founded: 2016

Basta turns potential into strong first jobs for first-generation college students through AI-enabled career navigation solutions that expand opportunity and economic mobility. First-gen students have the grit and talent to shape the workforce of tomorrow, yet too often graduate into a world where networks, insider know-how, and traditional proxies for success still decide who gets ahead.

In partnership with campuses and employers across the country and powered by the richest dataset on first-gen career journeys, Basta delivers precision job matching, personalized guidance, and structured networks that connect students to opportunity at scale. Their proven approach accelerates the transition from college to career, enabling participants to land competitive jobs at top companies and setting the foundation for lifetime wealth generation.

Through its integrated suite of programs and AI-enabled solutions, Basta advances economic mobility and systems-level change, ensuring that talent, not background, determines who thrives in the workforce.