AYF - Asia Pacific Youth Development Foundation

What AYF - Asia Pacific Youth Development Foundation does

AYF - Asia Pacific Youth Development Foundation Limited is a Hong Kong-registered charitable organization established in late 2017 by co-founders Dan Cheung (張樂芹) and Wilson Wong. Operating under Section 88 of the Hong Kong Inland Revenue Ordinance, the foundation delivers youth development programs built on three pillars: Connect, Inspire, and Elevate. Its core offerings include the D-Generation Impact Career Programme (a community innovation ambassador program with nine cohorts since 2021 reaching 150+ students), the Future Impact Leaders Programme (an international exchange to Singapore and Malaysia), the Museum of Epic Failures (a resilience-building project with a Growth Support Program), the Thursday Dialogue discussion series, and the Hong Kong-Macao Youth Cultural Ambassador Exchange Programme. The foundation also collaborates with RTHK on community broadcasting productions covering topics such as social innovation, STEM, and Web3.

AYF does not develop proprietary technology; its technology footprint is limited to educational content, a WordPress-based website (ayfhk.org), and media broadcasts through RTHK CIBS. The foundation operates as a small team of 7 employees headquartered in Hong Kong, with program delivery supported by a network of 30+ partner organizations including MTR Corporation, SIE Fund, Caritas Hong Kong, HKU, HKBU, Gratia Christian College, Link Asset Management, and government bureaus such as the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau and Youth Development Committee.

AYF's revenue model is a hybrid charitable structure comprising four streams: HKD$100 annual membership subscriptions, individual and corporate donations, program fees (HKD$4,800 for the Future Impact Leaders Programme covering accommodation, meals, airfare, and insurance), and government grants through schemes such as the International Youth Exchange Funding Scheme. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on referrals from partner NGOs and schools, signature events like Thursday Dialogues and annual dinners, and digital content via blog and social media. Since inception AYF has engaged over 500 young people across 10 cultivation programs.

Name

AYF - Asia Pacific Youth Development Foundation

Legal name

Asia Pacific Youth Development Foundation Limited

Website

https://ayfhk.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AYF is a Hong Kong-registered youth development charity founded in 2017 that delivers leadership, career, and international exchange programs across the Asia-Pacific region, serving over 500 young people through a network of 30+ partner organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Charitable Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAKAH

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

SECONDARYBPADAEAL

Digital Development & ICT4D / GovTech Technical Assistance

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/International Development & Technical Assistance

SECONDARYEDAIAOAF

Government-Sponsored Scholarships & Exchange Funding

Education/International Education & Study Abroad/Scholarships, Funding & Financial Aid for International Study

Keywords

• Youth development programs
• Community social innovation
• International youth exchange
• Leadership training workshops
• Charitable youth services

Headquarters

HQ city

Hong Kong

HQ country

Hong Kong SAR China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership subscription of HKD$100 collected to support AYF's continuous operations. Members receive exclusive offers and priority access to events.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: AYF is a registered charity under Section 88 of the Hong Kong Inland Revenue Ordinance. The organization accepts donations from individuals and corporations to support youth development programs.
3. Program Fees: Fees charged for specific programs such as the Future Impact Leaders Programme (HKD $4,800 including accommodation, meals, airfare, and travel insurance for the Singapore-Malaysia exchange).
4. Government Grants: Funding from government bodies including 民政及青年事務局 (Home and Youth Affairs Bureau) and 青年發展委員會 (Youth Development Committee) for international youth exchange programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

AYF is a non-profit charitable foundation that designs and delivers youth development programs for young people in Hong Kong and the Asia-Pacific region. Its core offerings include community-based leadership and career programs (D-Generation), international youth exchange programs (Future Impact Leaders Programme, Hong Kong-Macao Youth Cultural Ambassador Exchange), attitude and resilience-building exhibitions (Museum of Epic Failures), and recurring dialogue events (Thursday Dialogue), supported by community radio programming with RTHK.

Product overview

AYF operates as a non-profit youth development foundation offering a portfolio of interconnected programs focused on connecting, inspiring, and elevating young people in Hong Kong and the Asia-Pacific region. The core offerings include the D-Generation community innovation ambassador programme, the Museum of Epic Failures resilience-building initiative, the Future Impact Leaders Programme international exchange, Thursday Dialogue discussion series, and RTHK CIBS youth broadcasting productions. These programs work together to provide youth with skills training, regional exposure, networking opportunities, and platforms for social innovation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• D-Generation Impact Career Programme (社區創新大使計劃) A community innovation ambassador program that provides skills training and paid community internship experiences to Hong Kong youth, with particular focus on underprivileged participants aged 18-24, helping them develop social innovation skills and career readiness through practical community engagement.
• Museum of Epic Failures (失敗博物館) A youth-oriented resilience-building initiative that includes public exhibitions and a Growth Support Program combining training, mentor matching, and themed workshops to help young people gain a correct understanding of life values and cultivate positive attitudes toward setbacks.
• Future Impact Leaders Programme (未來創新領袖之旅) An international youth exchange programme that takes local Hong Kong youth to Singapore and Malaysia to explore smart city development, social innovation, and digital transformation, with follow-up dialogue sessions. The programme fee is HKD $4,800 including accommodation, meals, airfare, and travel insurance.
• Thursday Dialogue (AYF星期四對話) A signature recurring discussion series that connects and facilitates communications and collaborations with like-minded individuals through interactive sessions covering topics such as technology, social innovation, and community relations.
• RTHK CIBS Youth Broadcasting Programme A community broadcasting radio programme produced in collaboration with Hong Kong Radio Television covering social innovation topics including episodes on social innovators, STEM education, digital divide, and Web3 technology.
• Hong Kong-Macao Youth Cultural Ambassador Exchange Programme A youth training programme in partnership with LECPA that facilitates cultural exchange between Hong Kong and Macau youth through online and offline activities and community exploration.
• AYF Local Community Programmes Curated initiatives that prepare young individuals for the future while supporting community partners' initiatives, including computer donation programs and cross-sector collaboration with NGOs and schools.
• AYF Membership Programme Annual membership programme offering training, exclusive opportunities, regional connections, and priority access to events for an HKD $100 annual subscription fee. Applications require committee approval and payment confirmation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ youth inspired and supported through various programs
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024AYF's Museum of Epic Failures participated in the S+ Summit cum Expo 2025 organized by HKCSS, demonstrating collaborative approach to youth development.
• 澳門語言交流暨文化推廣協會 (LECPA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Macao partner organization co-organizing the Hong Kong-Macao Youth Cultural Ambassador Exchange Program, facilitating cross-border youth exchanges.
• Gratia Christian CollegemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnered with AYF to organize the 'Hidden Gems of Youth' exhibition and conduct research on youth from residential homes and children's shelters.
• Project iLMmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner organization supporting multicultural exchange programs, helping organize cultural visits including mosque and Chungking Mansion explorations.
• Link Asset Management (Link Entertainment Sustainability Future Hall)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner hosting AYF youth exchange participants at their sustainability education facility, providing educational experiences on diversity and inclusion.
• Caritas Hong KongmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Major social services organization collaborating on youth programs and community initiatives, including ethnic minority support services.
• Youth SquaremajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Youth-focused venue partner hosting AYF's Museum of Epic Failures exhibition and other youth development activities.
• Inter Cultural Education (ICE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023International education partner with whom AYF co-founded Dan Cheung won the SSILP grand prize for the D-Generation program.
• Hong Kong Baptist University CISLmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023University partner collaborating on innovative service learning programs and 5th anniversary celebrations.
• MTR CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Major corporate sponsor supporting AYF's youth development initiatives. MTR Corporation has provided generous contributions to the organization's programs and annual activities.
• Hong Kong Africa CentermajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Cultural organization providing platforms for cross-cultural exchange between Hong Kong African community and local youth participants.
• InnoSpacecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Innovation ecosystem partner supporting AYF's programs and youth development initiatives.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Boys' & Girls' Clubs Association of Hong Kong: Long-standing youth services organization in Hong Kong offering after-school programs, leadership development and community engagement; directly comparable mission and youth-segment focus as AYF, with deeper institutional history.
• Project iLM: Hong Kong-based multicultural exchange organization partnering with AYF on cultural visits and ethnic-minority programming; comparable youth-development and cross-cultural community engagement approach in the same Hong Kong market.
• The Zubin Foundation: Hong Kong charity focused on ethnic minorities, youth and social inclusion; directly comparable to AYF's work with marginalized youth, ethnic minorities (e.g., Alysha Bibi case) and social-innovation programming.
• Teach For Hong Kong: Nonprofit addressing educational inequity by placing talent in under-resourced schools and developing youth leadership; comparable to AYF's youth-empowerment and opportunity-narrowing mission in Hong Kong.
• Hong Kong PHAB Association: Hong Kong charity promoting integration of people with and without disabilities through youth and community programs; comparable to AYF in targeting youth development and community-based social inclusion outcomes.
• KELY Support Group: Hong Kong nonprofit providing youth-focused programs on resilience, mental health and positive youth development; directly comparable to AYF's youth-development and social-innovation programs in target segment and approach.

Regional players

• Singapore International Foundation: Singapore-based nonprofit facilitating cross-border volunteer and youth exchange programs across Asia; comparable to AYF's Asia-Pacific youth exchange and social innovation mission, primarily Singapore-anchored rather than Hong Kong.

Broad incumbents

• Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups: Largest youth-development organization in Hong Kong offering leadership training, exchange programs and youth services; highly comparable to AYF's mission and youth-segment focus but operates at vastly greater scale with established institutional infrastructure.
• Yan Chai Foundation: One of Hong Kong's largest charitable organizations with a long history of youth, education and community welfare programs; comparable to AYF in registered charity status and youth/social services focus, but with vastly greater resources.
• St. James' Settlement: Major Hong Kong multi-service NGO providing youth, elderly and family services; comparable to AYF's community/youth development work but with much broader service portfolio and larger operational scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ayfhk

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about AYF - Asia Pacific Youth Development Foundation