Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment

What Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment does

The Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1991 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It is the world's longest-running nonprofit dedicated to advancing Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) representation in the entertainment industry. CAPE operates a portfolio of career development programs including the CAPE New Writers Fellowship, CAPE Showrunners Incubator, CAPE Leaders Fellowship, CAPE Animation Directors Accelerator, CAPE Emerging Executives Committee, and a Producers Fellowship, alongside grant programs (the Julia S. Gouw Short Film Challenge and the CAPE x TAAF Rising Filmmakers Finishing Fund) and the global Beyond JAPAN -Filmmaker- program. The organization also maintains the largest database of AAPI writers in the entertainment industry, which serves as a referral pipeline for studios.

CAPE's business model combines charitable fundraising with fee-based services. Revenue is generated through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, an annual fundraising gala, foundation grants, and fee-based cultural and script consulting services provided to major studios and streamers including Amazon Studios, Walt Disney Studios, Netflix, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros., Paramount, NBCUniversal, and A24. The organization serves two primary customer segments: (1) AAPI creative professionals—writers, showrunners, executives, animation directors, and filmmakers—seeking career advancement, mentorship, and funding; and (2) studios and content creators seeking authentic AAPI representation, cultural consulting, and talent referrals. CAPE alumni have been staffed on over 80 shows across all major broadcast networks and streaming platforms, and API showrunners tracked by the organization grew from approximately 20 in 2014 to over 70 in 2023.

The organization is governed by a Board of Directors with representation from Amazon MGM Studios, Gold House, and The Gotham Group, and is led by Executive Director & CEO Michelle K. Sugihara. CAPE employs a core staff of approximately 7 people and operates volunteer task forces across communications, insights, and programming. Strategic partnerships anchor the program portfolio, including collaborations with STARZ #TakeTheLead, The Asian American Foundation (TAAF), Sony Pictures Entertainment, JETRO, The Black List, and Janet Yang Productions.

Name

Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment

Legal name

Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment

Website

https://capeusa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment) is a 35-year-old Los Angeles-based nonprofit that advances Asian American and Pacific Islander representation in Hollywood through fellowships, grants, cultural consulting, and the industry's largest AAPI writers database, serving both AAPI creative professionals and major studios.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entertainment Diversity Advocacy

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Media Representatives (54184)

SIC

Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAHAJ

Media Arts & Film/Photography Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

SECONDARYMPABADAN

Public Media Partnerships & Content Co-productions (NGO/Cultural)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Broadcasting (TV & Radio)/Public/Nonprofit Broadcasting (PBS/NPR-style)

SECONDARYMPAGAGAK

Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Conventions & Conferences (Business Events)

Keywords

• Entertainment diversity advocacy
• AAPI talent development
• Writers fellowship programs
• Cultural consulting services
• Industry representation nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Sponsorships: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, CAPE generates revenue through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and grants. The organization accepts tax-deductible contributions and stock donations.
2. Consulting Services: CAPE provides cultural consulting, script consulting, cultural sensitivity readings, and talent referrals to studios and content creators for a fee.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1991 that advances Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) representation in the entertainment industry. It delivers career development programs (fellowships, incubators, accelerators), grants and finishing funds for filmmakers, cultural consulting services to studios and production companies, and maintains a curated writers database for industry referrals.

Product overview

CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization offering a portfolio of career development programs, grants, and services for Asian and Pacific Islander professionals in entertainment. The core offerings include: the CAPE New Writers Fellowship for emerging TV/film writers; the CAPE Showrunners Incubator for senior-level writers; the CAPE Leaders Fellowship for mid-level executives; the CAPE Animation Directors Accelerator for animation professionals; the CAPE Emerging Executives Committee for assistants/coordinators; the Julia S. Gouw Short Film Challenge providing $25K grants to women and non-binary filmmakers; the CAPE x TAAF Rising Filmmakers Finishing Fund providing $50K post-production grants; The CAPE List in partnership with The Black List; the Beyond JAPAN global expansion program with JETRO; and Cultural Consulting Services for studios seeking authentic representation. CAPE also maintains a talent database, publishes the book 'My Life: Growing Up Asian in America,' runs the #IAm Story Campaign, and operates volunteer task forces. The organization does not offer a software product but provides fellowship programs, grants, consulting services, and a talent database.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CAPE New Writers Fellowship
• CAPE Showrunners Incubator
• CAPE Leaders Fellowship
• CAPE Animation Directors Accelerator (CADA)
• CAPE Emerging Executives Committee (CEEC)
• Julia S. Gouw Short Film Challenge
• CAPE x TAAF Rising Filmmakers Finishing Fund Grant funding program (in partnership with The Asian American Foundation) that provides financial support to AAPI filmmakers for post-production finishing costs of their short films.
• The CAPE List
• Beyond JAPAN-Filmmaker Program
• CAPE Cultural Consulting Services
• CAPE Alumni Writers Database A talent database of AAPI writers who have completed CAPE programs, made available to entertainment industry partners for staffing and writing opportunities.
• My Life Book A book published by CAPE featuring AAPI children's stories, intended to promote AAPI representation in youth literature and education.
• CAPE Producers Fellowship A fellowship program for emerging AAPI producers in the entertainment industry.

Quantifiable outcome

• Alumni staffed on over 80 shows across all major broadcast networks, cable, and streaming platforms
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Walt Disney CompanycoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Disney is a 2026 partner for the CAPE New Writers Fellowship, supporting emerging TV writers from AAPI backgrounds.
• NetflixcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Netflix is a 2026 partner for the CAPE New Writers Fellowship.
• Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024JETRO, a Japanese government organization, partnered with CAPE to launch the Beyond JAPAN -Filmmaker- program supporting rising Japanese directors and producers for potential expansion into Hollywood.
• The Asian American Foundation (TAAF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023CAPE and TAAF partnered on the Red Light, Green Light study investigating workplace experiences of Asian American creative executives, and co-created the Rising Filmmakers Finishing Fund providing $50,000 grants to AANHPI filmmakers for post-production.
• STARZ #TakeTheLeadcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023STARZ #TakeTheLead partnered with CAPE to power the Showrunners Incubator, providing upper-level writers with mentorship and real-world training to become successful showrunners.
• Film IndependentminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Film Independent provides Filmmaker Pro Memberships to CAPE x TAAF Rising Filmmakers Finishing Fund grantees as additional support.
• Janet Yang ProductionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Janet Yang Productions partnered with CAPE to create the Julia S. Gouw Short Film Challenge, providing $25K grants to four Asian and Pacific Islander women and non-binary filmmakers annually.
• Sony Pictures EntertainmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Sony Pictures Entertainment partnered with CAPE for the Animation Directors Accelerator (CADA), a first-of-its-kind program to identify and uplift API leaders in animation.
• Black ListcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021CAPE partnered with Black List to create the CAPE List, featuring 10 unproduced feature screenplays with Asian and/or Pacific Islander protagonists annually.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Visual Communications: Visual Communications is a Los Angeles-based Asian American media arts nonprofit that supports AAPI filmmakers through grants, fellowships, film festivals, and educational programs. It is directly comparable to CAPE in mission, AAPI focus, and nonprofit structure serving the entertainment industry.
• Center for Asian American Media (CAAM): CAAM funds, produces, and distributes Asian American media across film, television, and digital platforms and runs the CAAMFest festival. It is directly comparable to CAPE as a mission-aligned AAPI media nonprofit supporting filmmakers and storytellers.
• Gold House: Gold House is a nonprofit collective of AAPI leaders across entertainment, tech, and business that builds community, advocacy, and pipeline programs. It is comparable to CAPE for its AAPI focus, Hollywood engagement, and mission to advance AAPI representation across industries.
• Asian American Film Lab: The Asian American Film Lab is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs fellowship and screening programs to support AAPI filmmakers. It is comparable to CAPE as a similarly structured AAPI-focused nonprofit in the film/TV talent development space.
• East West Players: East West Players is the nation's longest-running AAPI theater company and produces theatrical work, new play development, and artist programs. It is comparable to CAPE in AAPI arts advocacy and nonprofit structure, though focused on theater rather than film/TV.

Broad incumbents

• Film Independent: Film Independent is a broader nonprofit supporting independent filmmakers through education, grants (Spirit Awards, Filmmaker Pro), and the LA Film Festival. It is comparable to CAPE as a nonprofit that provides filmmaker grants and program partnerships (CAPE's Rising Filmmakers Finishing Fund grantees receive Film Independent memberships).
• NAACP Hollywood Bureau: The NAACP Hollywood Bureau is a nonprofit arm of the NAACP focused on advancing Black representation in the entertainment industry through advocacy and studio engagement. It is a comparable mission-driven industry-advocacy nonprofit modeled alongside CAPE in the diversity-in-Hollywood ecosystem.
• National Hispanic Media Coalition: The National Hispanic Media Coalition advocates for Latino representation in media through research, policy, and pipeline programs. It is comparable to CAPE as a parallel ethnic-representation nonprofit engaging studios on authentic storytelling and talent development.
• Women in Film: Women in Film is a nonprofit advocating for gender equity in entertainment through mentorship, grants, and industry research. It is comparable to CAPE in nonprofit structure, pipeline program model, and entertainment-industry representation mandate.

Emerging players

• The Black List: The Black List is a platform that connects unproduced screenplays with industry buyers and runs annual best-of lists. It is comparable to CAPE through their direct partnership on the CAPE List, which surfaces AAPI-led feature scripts — a peer in screenplay ecosystem infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/capeusa
• YouTubeyoutube.com/CAPE
• Facebookfacebook.com/CAPE
• Instagraminstagram.com/capeusa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cape

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment