Asia Pacific School on Internet Governance (APSIG)

What Asia Pacific School on Internet Governance (APSIG) does

Asia Pacific School on Internet Governance (APSIG) is a non-profit, community-led capacity-building organization established in 2015 and operating in its tenth annual edition in 2025. It delivers the longest-running regional Training of Trainers (ToT) program on Internet Governance in the Asia Pacific, with a 3-4 day intensive in-person school held each year in a rotating host city (Bangkok, Manila, Taipei, Kathmandu, plus a 2020 virtual edition), preceded by a structured fellowship application cycle and accompanied by mailing list and YouTube-based community engagement. Its core products are the APSIG Annual School, the APSIG Fellowship Program (covering airfare, accommodation, meals, visa fees, and a cash allowance for selected fellows), APSIG Open Courseware on YouTube, a Disability Initiative on Capacity Building for Persons with Disabilities, a formal Membership Program, and national Schools of Internet Governance support. Typical cohorts number approximately 25 international fellows drawn from 30+ Asia Pacific economies, with an applicant pool of 365 from 33 economies reported for 2024. APSIG is governed by an elected Executive Committee with an Advisory Committee including founder Professor Kilnam Chon, and receives grants and sponsorships from APNIC, ICANN, Internet Society, Google, APTLD, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, APNIC Foundation, Internet Society Foundation, and DOTCORG, alongside venue sponsorship from local host institutions such as the Asian Institute of Technology, TWNIC, and National Taiwan University.

APSIG's technology footprint is intentionally thin: it does not develop proprietary software products. Day-to-day operations rely on APNIC-hosted infrastructure (Mailman mailing lists, website hosting, and the APNIC Fellowship Portal for applications and logistics), public cloud video for hybrid participation (e.g., Zoom), and a YouTube channel (UC2kUFxmy443VPua9_6mtN9A) that publishes open courseware. No APIs, SDKs, mobile applications, or third-party integrations are offered. The substantive intellectual property is curricular — a decade of structured IG content covering IG landscape, digital rights, cybersecurity, AI governance, multilingual internet (IDNs and Universal Acceptance), platform governance, and cross-border data flows — held together by a credentialed alumni network of fellows who continue to engage via mailing lists, local SIG activities, and APrIGF participation.

APSIG is a non-profit community organization without formal corporate ownership and is not publicly traded; it does not charge participants. Revenue (not publicly disclosed) is sourced almost entirely from grants and sponsorships and in-kind contributions from local hosts (venue, accommodation, catering, local transport, visa support). The customer base is bipartite: demand-side "users" are fellows from government, technical community, civil society, academia, and disability communities who receive fully subsidized access; supply-side "payers" are sponsoring organizations in the global Internet Governance ecosystem (APNIC family, ICANN family, Internet Society family, and select private foundations such as Silicon Valley Community Foundation).

Name

Asia Pacific School on Internet Governance (APSIG)

Legal name

Asia Pacific School on Internet Governance (APSIG)

Website

https://apsig.asia

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Non-profit community organization founded in 2015 that delivers the longest-running annual Training of Trainers school on Internet Governance in the Asia Pacific, serving emerging leaders from government, technical community, civil society, academia, and disability communities across 30+ economies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Internet Governance Education

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Educational Services (611), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Professional Development for Educators (Dyslexia/LD Training) (EDAKAJAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faculty/Staff Training & Accessibility Awareness Programs (EDALAGAI), Specialized Learning Support (Dyslexia/LD Coaching, Assistive Strategies) (EDAJALAJ)

Keywords

• Internet governance education
• Capacity building training
• Digital policy training
• Training of trainers
• Fellowship program

Headquarters

HQ city

Singapore

HQ country

Singapore

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Sponsorship and Grants: APSIG is funded through grants and sponsorships from organizations in the Internet Governance ecosystem. Initial fundraising in 2015 received contributions from Google, APTLD, Internet Society, ICANN, and Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Ongoing sponsors include APNIC, ICANN, Internet Society, DOTCORG, and the Internet Society Foundation. Additional funding comes from local host contributions and venue sponsors.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

APSIG organizes an annual 3-4 day intensive Training of Trainers program on Internet Governance for emerging leaders, policymakers, and practitioners from across the Asia Pacific region. Selected fellows receive full financial sponsorship covering airfare, twin-shared accommodation, visa fee reimbursement, meals, and a cash allowance to attend the school in rotating host cities. The program is supported by APSIG Open Courseware published on YouTube, a specialized Disability Initiative for persons with disabilities, the APSIG Membership Program for community voting rights, and support for national Schools on Internet Governance (SIGs). The organization is governed by an elected Executive Committee and Advisory Committee and operates without formal incorporation.

Product overview

Asia Pacific School on Internet Governance (APSIG) is a premier capacity-building organization that operates as a unified annual training program focused on Internet Governance education in the Asia-Pacific region. The core offering is the APSIG Annual School on Internet Governance—a week-long Training of Trainers program that brings together emerging leaders, policymakers, and practitioners for intensive sessions on Internet Governance topics. This is supported by the APSIG Fellowship Program (providing financial support for participant attendance), APSIG Open Courseware (YouTube-based educational content), the Disability Initiative on Capacity Building for Persons with Disabilities, the APSIG Membership Program, and National IG Initiatives Support. APSIG also operates mailing lists (APSIG Discuss and APSIG Announce) to facilitate ongoing community engagement and discussion. Together, these offerings form a comprehensive ecosystem for building Internet Governance capacity across the Asia-Pacific region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• APSIG Annual School on Internet Governance A 3-4 day intensive annual Training of Trainers program on Internet Governance for emerging leaders, policymakers, and practitioners from the Asia Pacific region. Held in rotating host cities, the program covers IG frameworks, multi-stakeholder processes, AI governance, cybersecurity, digital rights, platform governance, and cross-border data flows.
• APSIG Fellowship Program A fellowship program providing full financial support (airfare, twin-shared accommodation, visa fee reimbursement, meals, cash allowance) for selected participants from Asia Pacific economies to attend the annual APSIG school. Applications processed via APNIC Fellowship Portal.
• APSIG Open Courseware Freely accessible Internet Governance training materials published on YouTube, providing self-paced learning for individuals who cannot attend in-person events.
• Disability Initiative on Capacity Building for Persons with Disabilities A specialized capacity-building initiative covering digital rights, digital literacy, best practices for safe and secure technology use, and advocacy for persons with disabilities. Includes a train-the-trainer program with follow-up mentoring in trainers' home countries; pilot covered 6 countries.
• APSIG National IG Initiatives Support Support services for national Schools on Internet Governance (SIGs), including training to organizers and speakers at national and local SIGs and maintaining a directory of national IG initiatives across the Asia Pacific.

Quantifiable outcome

• 365 fellowship applications received from 33 economies for APSIG 2024; 24 fellows selected representing 17 economies
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Nepal local hosts (Kathmandu 2025)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025APSIG 2025 is being hosted in Kathmandu, Nepal, with local host organizations providing venue, accommodation, catering, local transportation, visa support, and technical facilities. The event precedes the Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF).
• Philippine hosts (local organizations Manila 2023)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2023APSIG 2023 was held in Manila, Philippines, hosted by local organizations including the Internet Society Philippines Chapter and local partners. They provided venue, accommodation, catering, local logistics, and visa support for international and local fellows.
• Article 19coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Article 19 is a London-based freedom of expression organization that co-sponsored the pilot phase of the APSIG Disability Initiative. Article 19 staff contribute expertise on digital rights and safe technology use, and have delivered sessions on topics including AI, Smart Cities, and Human Rights at APSIG events.
• ISOC Standing Group on DisabilitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022The ISOC Standing Group on Disability is a key partner in the APSIG Disability Initiative, which aims to mainstream accessibility in Internet Governance and build capacity among persons with disabilities. The initiative includes a pilot train-the-trainer program followed by country-level roll-outs.
• APNICcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPNIC is the Regional Internet Address Registry for the Asia Pacific, providing critical infrastructure support to APSIG. APNIC hosts APSIG's website and mailing lists, provides fellowship portal infrastructure through the APNIC Fellowship Portal, and contributes program committee members, speakers, and secretariat support. APNIC is a co-sponsor of APSIG events and its staff serve on APSIG Executive and Advisory Committees.
• Taiwan Network Information Center (TWNIC)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTWNIC served as the local host for APSIG 2024, held at National Taiwan University in Taipei. As a non-profit organization established in 1988, TWNIC manages Internet resources within Taiwan and actively promotes Internet development and international cooperation. TWNIC provided venue, accommodation coordination, local logistics, and served as the primary interface with local authorities.
• Hu Fu Center for East Asia Democratic Studies, National Taiwan UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Hu Fu Center for East Asia Democratic Studies at National Taiwan University served as the Venue Sponsor for APSIG 2024, providing the conference facilities at no or reduced cost.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF): APrIGF is the primary annual multi-stakeholder IG policy forum for Asia Pacific and is intentionally scheduled immediately after APSIG each year. It is a downstream peer in the regional IG engagement stack and the primary convening APSIG feeds into.
• ICANN: ICANN is a founding sponsor and recurring funder of APSIG and operates its own capacity-building and fellowship programs (NextGen, ICANN Fellowship). It is a broad incumbent in Internet Governance capacity building across multiple regions.
• Internet Society (ISOC): ISOC is a long-standing sponsor of APSIG and runs broader Internet Governance and digital inclusion capacity-building programs globally. It is a major incumbent in the same space but with a far wider portfolio than APSIG's regional training focus.

Direct peers

• DiploFoundation: DiploFoundation runs the Geneva Internet Governance Forum (IGF) capacity-building streams and the GIP Digital Track, offering Training of Trainers on Internet Governance and digital policy. It is a peer in the IG capacity-building category with comparable curriculum scope.
• European School on Internet Governance (EuroSSIG): EuroSSIG is the longest-running School on Internet Governance globally and the most direct peer to APSIG. Both operate Training of Trainers models, deliver multi-day residential programs, and target emerging IG leaders in their respective regions with similar curriculum and fellowship structures.
• African School on Internet Governance (AfrISIG / AfriSIG): AfriSIG is a regional School on Internet Governance modeled on the EuroSSIG/APSIG framework, providing residential Training of Trainers in Africa. It shares APSIG's mission of building multi-stakeholder IG capacity and is organized in partnership with APC and ISOC Africa.
• South School on Internet Governance (SouthSIG): SouthSIG is a newer School on Internet Governance covering Latin America and the Caribbean, modeled on the EuroSSIG and APSIG framework. It operates a similar Training of Trainers structure for emerging IG leaders in its region.
• India School on Internet Governance (inSIG): inSIG is a national-level School on Internet Governance run under the broader APSIG/EuroSSIG network. It is closely tied to APSIG through co-founder Satish Babu and targets the same Training-of-Trainers model for Indian IG practitioners.

Others

• APNIC: APNIC is not a direct capacity-building peer but is APSIG's core infrastructure partner, hosting the website, mailing lists, and fellowship portal. It is included as an enabler/ecosystem participant whose platform underwrites APSIG's distribution.

Emerging players

• Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI): IAMAI hosts digital policy and Internet governance capacity-building programs in India, overlapping with APSIG's regional mandate. It is a partial-overlap emerging player focused on industry-led digital policy training rather than the multi-stakeholder SIG model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC2kUFxmy443VPua9_6mtN9A/videos
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/asia-pacific-school-on-internet-governance-apsig-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Asia Pacific School on Internet Governance (APSIG)