Access Now
Access Now is an international non-profit organization founded in 2009 that defends and extends the digital rights of at-risk users, serving human rights defenders, journalists, activists, and civil society organizations globally through a 24/7 Digital Security Helpline, RightsCon summit, #KeepItOn coalition, and grassroots grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Access Now does
Access Now is an international non-profit organization founded in 2009 and headquartered in New York that defends and extends the digital rights of people and communities at risk. The organization operates across eight offices on five continents and serves a global beneficiary base including human rights defenders, journalists, activists, and civil society organizations. Its core operations are delivered through a portfolio of programs: the Digital Security Helpline provides 24/7 technical support for at-risk civil society members facing digital threats; RightsCon is the world's leading annual summit on human rights in the digital age (running since 2011 and drawing 2,600+ participants from 150+ countries); the #KeepItOn coalition coordinates 345+ organizations across 106 countries to fight internet shutdowns; and Access Now Grants provides direct funding to grassroots digital rights organizations.
The organization's underlying technology is service-oriented rather than product-oriented. Its technical infrastructure centers on the Digital Security Helpline's response operations and the Transparency Reporting Index (an evaluation tool tracking corporate and government disclosure practices). Access Now also produces annual research reports documenting internet shutdowns, including a 2025 record of 313 shutdowns across 52 countries with estimated global economic losses of $19.7 billion. The organization does not offer public APIs, SDKs, or commercial software products.
Access Now operates as a non-profit funded primarily through grants and donations from foundations, governments, and individual supporters. Notable funding includes multi-year grants from the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation totaling over $10M between 2022 and 2023. The organization has a Development Director dedicated to managing grants and identifying new institutional funding opportunities. Services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries, and the go-to-market motion is community-led, combining direct technical support, strategic advocacy at UN and regional bodies, grassroots grantmaking, and annual convenings. Brett Solomon serves as Executive Director.
Access Now firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Access Now
- Legal name
- Access Now
- Website
- https://accessnow.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Access Now is an international non-profit organization founded in 2009 that defends and extends the digital rights of at-risk users, serving human rights defenders, journalists, activists, and civil society organizations globally through a 24/7 Digital Security Helpline, RightsCon summit, #KeepItOn coalition, and grassroots grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Access Now industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital Rights Advocacy
- NAICS
- Human Rights Organizations (813311)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Digital Rights, Privacy & Free Expression Advocacy (BPAGAFAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Media Freedom, Access to Information & Digital Rights (BPADAGAE)
Keywords
Where Access Now is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices8 records
Markets served
Access Now business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donations and Grants: Access Now operates as a nonprofit organization funded through donations and grants from foundations, governments, and individual supporters. The organization has a Development Director who manages grants and identifies new opportunities for support.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Access Now product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Access Now is an international non-profit human rights organization that defends and extends the digital rights of users at risk. It delivers a 24/7 Digital Security Helpline for activists, journalists, and human rights defenders, leads the #KeepItOn coalition tracking and opposing internet shutdowns worldwide, organizes the annual RightsCon summit, and runs a grassroots grantmaking program for civil society organizations.
Product overview
Access Now is a civil society organization (not a technology product company) that offers a portfolio of advocacy services, convenings, and direct support programs. The core offerings include the Digital Security Helpline (24/7 technical support for civil society), RightsCon (annual global summit on digital rights), the #KeepItOn coalition (fighting internet shutdowns), and Access Now Grants (grassroots funding). Additional programs include the Transparency Reporting Index and #WhyID campaign. These services are distinct programs unified by the organization's mission to defend and extend digital rights of people at risk, combining direct technical support, strategic advocacy, grassroots grantmaking, and convenings.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- #KeepItOn: Global coalition and campaign fighting internet shutdowns around the world, comprising over 345 organizations from 106 countries.
- RightsCon
- Digital Security Helpline
- #WhyID
Products and services
- Digital Security Helpline 24/7 technical support service providing direct assistance to activists, journalists, and human rights defenders at risk. Offers emergency response, security guidance, and support for civil society members facing digital threats.
- RightsCon The world's leading summit on human rights in the digital age. Annual convening bringing together activists, technologists, policymakers, and civil society to address internet censorship, surveillance, AI governance, and digital rights globally.
- #KeepItOn Campaign Global coalition of over 345 organizations from 106 countries working to end internet shutdowns worldwide. Documents shutdowns, advocates against restrictions, and provides resources to affected communities.
- Access Now Grants Grassroots grantmaking program supporting frontline organizations fighting for digital rights around the world. Provides funding to civil society actors working on digital rights advocacy, security, and policy.
- Transparency Reporting Index Index tracking and evaluating transparency reports from technology companies and governments, assessing disclosure practices related to content moderation, user data requests, and government surveillance requests.
- #WhyID Campaign Campaign focused on digital identity systems, advocating for people-first approaches to digital ID and opposing identity systems that enable surveillance or exclusion.
Quantifiable outcome
- Documented 313 internet shutdowns across 52 countries in 2025, a record high
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Access Now
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Access Now technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Access Now partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- #KeepItOn CoalitioncoreGlobal coalition of 345+ organizations from 106 countries working collectively to end internet shutdowns worldwide. Access Now leads the coalition which documents shutdowns, advocates against them, and provides support to affected communities.
- LookoutcoreCybersecurity research firm that collaborated with Access Now and SMEX to document the BITTER APT hack-for-hire campaign targeting journalists and activists in MENA region.
- SMEXcoreDigital rights organization that partnered with Access Now and Lookout to research and document the hack-for-hire campaign attributed to BITTER APT targeting civil society.
- Spyware Accountability InitiativeminorInitiative supported by Meta that funds civil society organizations conducting forensic research and advocacy against commercial spyware. Access Now is a beneficiary/recipient of support.
- #KeepItOn Coalition (with Access Now leadership)coreAccess Now leads the coalition which released a report documenting internet shutdowns in armed conflicts, collecting over 120 testimonies from civilians in Gaza and Sudan, mapping five distinct forms of direct civilian harm.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Access Now competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Electronic Frontier Foundation: EFF is a leading digital civil liberties nonprofit defending privacy, free expression, and innovation through litigation, policy advocacy, and technical work. Directly comparable to Access Now in mission (digital rights for users at risk), advocacy style, and global community engagement.
- Freedom House: Freedom House is a US-based international NGO that monitors internet freedom, advocates against censorship and surveillance, and produces flagship reports like Freedom on the Net. Highly comparable to Access Now in monitoring digital rights abuses and shaping US/international policy.
- Article 19: Article 19 is a London-based international human rights organization focused on freedom of expression and information, with a dedicated digital program. Directly comparable to Access Now in defending digital rights, advocating against shutdowns, and operating globally.
- Witness: Witness is a global NGO that uses video and technology to support human rights defenders, providing training, tools, and advocacy. Comparable to Access Now's Digital Security Helpline model of equipping at-risk civil society with practical technical support.
- Privacy International: Privacy International is a UK-based charity that litigates and investigates government and corporate surveillance. Directly comparable to Access Now in addressing surveillance, data protection, and spyware concerns with a research-driven advocacy approach.
Broad incumbents
- Human Rights Watch: Human Rights Watch is a large international human rights organization that investigates and reports on digital rights abuses, internet shutdowns, and surveillance as part of a broader mandate. Comparable in advocacy reach and UN engagement, though digital rights is one of many issue areas.
- Amnesty International: Amnesty International is a major global human rights organization with significant work on surveillance, spyware, internet shutdowns, and digital freedom. A broader incumbent with overlapping digital rights programs and substantially larger resources than Access Now.
Emerging players
- Citizen Lab: Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto conducts interdisciplinary research on digital surveillance, censorship, and spyware (e.g., NSO Group/Pegasus). Comparable to Access Now in spyware accountability work and the Spyware Accountability Initiative, though primarily academic rather than advocacy.
Regional players
- SMEX: SMEX is a Lebanon-based digital rights organization focused on the MENA region, which partnered with Access Now and Lookout on the BITTER APT hack-for-hire research. A regional peer with overlapping research and advocacy mandate, primarily serving Arabic-speaking communities.
Others
- Open Technology Fund: OTF is a US government-funded program supporting internet freedom technologies and circumvention tools for activists and journalists. Comparable ecosystem player — Access Now's grantees and Helpline users overlap heavily with OTF's funded communities — though OTF operates more as a funder than a direct service provider.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Access Now social profiles
Digital presenceAccess Now financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Access Now leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Access Now subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Access Now funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Access Now M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Access Now
What does Access Now do?
Access Now is an international non-profit human rights organization that defends and extends the digital rights of users at risk. It delivers a 24/7 Digital Security Helpline for activists, journalists, and human rights defenders, leads the #KeepItOn coalition tracking and opposing internet shutdowns worldwide, organizes the annual RightsCon summit, and runs a grassroots grantmaking program for civil society organizations.
Is Access Now a public or private company?
Access Now is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Access Now founded?
Access Now was founded in 2016. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Access Now based?
Access Now is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Access Now make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Grants.
Who are Access Now's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Electronic Frontier Foundation, Freedom House, Article 19, Witness and Privacy International. Broad incumbents are Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Citizen Lab is listed as an emerging player. SMEX is listed as a regional player. Open Technology Fund is listed as an others.
Does Access Now have an API?
No public API is recorded for Access Now.
What industry is Access Now in?
Access Now's product category is Digital Rights Advocacy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAFAL, Digital Rights, Privacy & Free Expression Advocacy, with a secondary code of BPADAGAE, Media Freedom, Access to Information & Digital Rights. Its NAICS code is 813311 and its SIC code is 8300.