Ali Khadivar was born in 1985, Tehran, Iran. In 2005, he went to Malaysia on a full scholarship to study Mechanical Engineering at Petronas University of Technology, and HATED EVERY SECOND OF IT. Going through a belated rebellious phase, he started studying Contemporary Music at International College of Music (ICOM) in 2009, where – to his surprise! – he was elected as the head of the student council, and to everyone else’s surprise enjoyed pretty high approval ratings. He eventually got fed up with Malaysia’s hot and humid climate and returned to Iran in 2013, and a year later found employment with Naranj Art Gallery as their gallery manager, whereupon he quickly learned artists are very tricky to work with. During the same time, he began investing in art and working as an independent art dealer, focusing on Iranian contemporary visual arts. He quickly got bored with the conventional art scene though, and started focusing mostly on supporting and promoting emerging Digital and New Media artists. In 2017, he established the Folder Foundation to that effect.