IUCN SSC Asian Species Action Partnership

What IUCN SSC Asian Species Action Partnership does

The IUCN SSC Asian Species Action Partnership (ASAP) is a conservation partnership network operating under the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC), focused on halting species extinctions across Southeast Asia. It coordinates a network of more than 200 partner organizations across 30 countries, providing grant funding, capacity-building, and convening services to local and regional conservation actors working on priority ASAP species. ASAP is institutionally hosted by Mandai Nature in Singapore and governed by a Governing Council chaired as of 2026 by Kanitha Krishnasamy, with day-to-day leadership provided by Director Nerissa Chao.

ASAP's product surface consists of seven coordinated programmes: the Species Conservation Fund, Rapid Action Fund, Species Continuation Fund, and Partner Networking Fund (grant and convening instruments), alongside the NOW Leaders Programme, NOW Collective, and Organisational Development Programme (capacity-building and women's leadership pipelines). The underlying technology layer relies on third-party conservation platforms — notably the SMART Patrol application and EarthRanger — plus CCTV-based monitoring deployed by partner organizations in the field; no proprietary AI or ML systems are developed in-house. By 2025 the partnership had supported work on 20 ASAP species, delivered 114 hours of training, and grown the NOW Collective to 41 members, with cumulative grant disbursement reaching SGD 1.5M and 70+ species supported over its lifetime.

ASAP operates a non-commercial revenue model funded by philanthropic foundations, led by the Hempel Foundation (multi-year commitment beginning January 2026) and Fondation Segrè (renewed support for the Rapid Action Fund in November 2025), with additional undisclosed donor support. Go-to-market is relationship-driven and grant-mediated: ASAP identifies priority species, issues calls for proposals through its funds, and disburses grants to vetted partner NGOs while convening the broader network. The 2025 annual operating picture — SGD 400,000+ in grants deployed, 51 partners supported, and expanded programming — suggests an annual operating budget in the low single-digit millions USD range, though no audited financials are publicly disclosed.

Name

IUCN SSC Asian Species Action Partnership

Legal name

ASAP!

Website

https://speciesonthebrink.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

IUCN SSC Asian Species Action Partnership is a conservation network of 200+ organizations across 30 countries, coordinated from Singapore under IUCN SSC, that deploys grant funds and capacity-building programmes to halt species extinctions in Southeast Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Conservation & Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (BPAGAIAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Rescue, Transport & Emergency Animal Response (BPAGAIAB)

Keywords

• Species conservation grants
• Biodiversity partnership network
• Critically endangered species
• Conservation capacity building
• Wildlife conservation training

Headquarters

HQ city

Singapore

HQ country

Singapore

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Others, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Conservation Grants and Funding: ASAP receives funding from donors and foundations to provide grants to conservation organisations working on Critically Endangered species in Southeast Asia. Funding comes from partners including Hempel Foundation, Fondation Segré, and other conservation donors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Asian Species Action Partnership (ASAP) is a conservation partnership network providing grants, training, organisational development, and emergency funding to over 200 partner organisations working to conserve Critically Endangered species in Southeast Asia. The partnership catalyses conservation action by channeling donor funding, building local organisational capacity, and convening the conservation community across 30 countries.

Product overview

ASAP is a conservation partnership network, not a traditional product company. Its offerings consist of grant programmes and capacity-building services for species conservation: the Species Conservation Fund and Rapid Action Fund provide direct financial support for Critically Endangered species projects; the NOW Leaders Programme and NOW Collective offer leadership training and peer networking for women conservationists; the Organisational Development Programme builds capacity in local conservation organisations; and Partner Networking and Species Continuation Funds facilitate collaboration and protect ongoing conservation work.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NOW (Network of Women): Leadership training programme for women conservationists in Southeast Asia
• Rapid Action Fund
• NOW Leaders
• NOW Collective

Products and services

• ASAP Species Conservation Fund Core grants programme providing direct funding to support conservation of Critically Endangered species in Southeast Asia, including species conservation, research, and habitat protection projects. For partner conservation organisations.
• Rapid Action Fund Fast, flexible funding mechanism providing emergency support for urgent conservation interventions, enabling rapid response to unexpected threats to Critically Endangered species across Southeast Asia.
• NOW (Network of Women) Leaders Programme Cohort-based leadership training programme for women conservationists across Southeast Asia, providing personal and professional development, peer networking, and skills building to advance conservation leadership.
• NOW Collective Alumnae community connecting women conservationists who have completed the NOW Leaders programme, enabling ongoing peer learning, collaboration, and mutual support across Southeast Asia.
• Organisational Development Programme Long-term capacity building initiative supporting local conservation organisations to build stronger foundations through tailored assistance in strategic planning, financial sustainability, and organisational resilience.
• Partner Networking Fund Funding mechanism facilitating knowledge exchange and collaboration between ASAP Partner organisations across the conservation network in Southeast Asia.
• Species Continuation Fund Grant programme ensuring continuity of vital conservation projects and protecting threatened species when funding gaps threaten ongoing work.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 70 species supported with direct funding
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mandai NaturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASAP is hosted by Mandai Nature, which provides organisational infrastructure and support. Mandai Nature is a key strategic partner in conservation efforts across Southeast Asia.
• IUCN SSC (Species Survival Commission)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASAP is part of IUCN SSC, the Species Survival Commission of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. This provides institutional oversight and connection to global conservation networks.
• ShoalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in creating the Strategic Framework to Accelerate Urgent Conservation Action for ASAP Freshwater Fishes in Southeast Asia. Joint launch of SHOAL-ASAP Freshwater Fish Conservation Grant.
• Wildlife Conservation SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASAP Partner working on Burmese Roofed Turtle conservation and Southern River Terrapin recovery. Collaboration on cross-border conservation efforts.
• Turtle Conservation Society MalaysiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASAP Partner dedicated to protecting Southern River Terrapins in Malaysia and Cambodia. Works on cross-border collaboration with WCS.
• TRAFFICminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKanitha Krishnasamy, ASAP Chair, also serves as Director of TRAFFIC in Southeast Asia, bringing expertise in conservation policy and wildlife trade.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BirdLife International: Global partnership of conservation organisations focused on birds and biodiversity, with a similar federated model of national partners delivering local conservation outcomes. Operates comparable grantmaking and capacity-building programmes across regions.
• Wetlands International: Global network dedicated to wetland conservation, with strong presence in Southeast Asia. Comparable structure as a partnership network supporting local organisations and aligns with ASAP's approach to threatened-habitat and species conservation.
• TRAFFIC: Wildlife trade monitoring network that works on illegal and unsustainable trade, with strong overlap to ASAP leadership (Chair Kanitha Krishnasamy is also TRAFFIC SEA Director). Highly relevant peer given shared focus on Southeast Asian species threats.
• Wildlife Conservation Society: WCS is already an ASAP partner working on turtle conservation. It is a major international NGO running field-based species conservation programmes globally, including in Southeast Asia, with similar grantmaker and field-implementation roles.
• Re:wild: Species-focused conservation organisation (formerly Global Wildlife Conservation) that works to prevent extinctions and recover wildlife, with comparable focus on overlooked and Critically Endangered species and a network of in-country partners.
• Fauna & Flora International: FFI is already an ASAP partner and operates species-focused conservation programmes in Southeast Asia, including for primates and other threatened taxa. Highly comparable in mission and partner-based delivery model.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: Large international conservation organisation working on habitats, species, and climate. Operates in Southeast Asia with a focus on landscapes rather than single-species action, providing a broader-incumbent reference point.
• World Wildlife Fund: Largest global conservation organisation with broad species and habitat programmes across Southeast Asia. Overlaps significantly with ASAP in species conservation but operates at a vastly larger scale and broader scope.
• Conservation International: Major global conservation NGO working on biodiversity, species, and ecosystems, with active programmes in the Asia-Pacific region. Comparable in mission, much larger in scope and resources.

Emerging players

• Shoal: Freshwater fish conservation specialist and active ASAP partner. Smaller and more taxonomically focused than ASAP, but operates a comparable network-and-grant model for threatened species in the same geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCxT8B_3l1l
• Facebookfacebook.com/ASAPspecies
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/speciesonthebrink
• Instagraminstagram.com/asap_species

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about IUCN SSC Asian Species Action Partnership