YSEALI Academy at Fulbright University Vietnam

What YSEALI Academy at Fulbright University Vietnam does

YSEALI Academy at Fulbright University Vietnam is an interdisciplinary department established in 2020 through a partnership between Fulbright University Vietnam and the U.S. Department of State's Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI). It runs flagship, cohort-based seminars for entry to mid-level professionals aged 25-35 (or 36-40 with YSEALI alumni status) drawn from 11 Southeast Asian countries — Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam. The stated mission is to build leadership capabilities among youth in the region, strengthen U.S.-Southeast Asia ties, and nurture an ASEAN community.

The core product is a portfolio of flagship seminars delivered across three thematic tracks: Public Policy, Technology & Innovation, and Entrepreneurship. Since 2022, seminars have been delivered in-person in Vietnam; online delivery was used in 2021. Recent seminars have diversified into adjacent verticals, including Mental Health (April 2024), GreenTech (June 2024), Female Entrepreneurship (September 2024), Shifting Tech Value Chain (November 2024), and AI Governance and AI Literacy (May 2025). Cohort sizes are modest — 34-36 fellows per seminar in recent programs — and selected participants receive fellowships funded by the U.S. Department of State covering in-person or online seminar costs.

Beyond seminars, YSEALI Academy publishes YA Insights Reports that document lessons learned and cross-border impact projects, operates a Seed Grant Program for emerging leaders, runs an inaugural Alumni Impact Conference in 2025, and supports faculty-led research activities with Principal Investigators and publications. The organization does not develop proprietary technology — its 'technology' footprint is limited to its website, online application, and social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) used for outreach. YSEALI Academy is not a commercial enterprise; it is fully funded by the U.S. Department of State and operated as a department within a private, not-for-profit host university, with a staff of approximately 11 based at Crescent Plaza, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City.

Name

YSEALI Academy at Fulbright University Vietnam

Legal name

YSEALI Academy at Fulbright University Vietnam

Website

https://yseali.fulbright.edu.vn

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

YSEALI Academy at Fulbright University Vietnam is a U.S. Department of State-funded leadership development program running flagship seminars in Public Policy, Technology & Innovation, and Entrepreneurship for entry to mid-level professionals aged 25-35 from 11 Southeast Asian countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Leadership Development Education

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faculty-Led Study Tours & Embedded Short Programs (Home Institution-Led) (EDAIAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Leadership, Debate & Model UN Camps (EDAMALAK)

Keywords

• Leadership development seminars
• Capacity building programs
• Public policy education
• Youth leadership training
• Southeast Asian fellowships

Headquarters

HQ city

Ho Chi Minh City

HQ country

Vietnam

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

YSEALI Academy delivers multidisciplinary leadership development seminars for entry to mid-level young professionals from 11 ASEAN countries and Timor-Leste, organized around Public Policy, Technology & Innovation, and Entrepreneurship thematic tracks (with Mental Health added in 2024). Selected participants receive fellowships funded by the U.S. Department of State covering seminar costs. Complementary offerings include Insights Reports documenting seminar outcomes, a Seed Grant Program for emerging leaders' projects, and the Alumni Impact Conference for continued engagement.

Product overview

YSEALI Academy at Fulbright University Vietnam is an interdisciplinary department that provides capacity-building programs for emerging Southeast Asian leaders. The organization operates primarily through its Flagship Seminars covering three thematic tracks (Public Policy, Technology & Innovation, and Entrepreneurship), supported by Insights Reports that document learnings and outcomes from each seminar. Additional offerings include a Seed Grant Program for project funding and the Alumni Impact Conference for continued leadership development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Flagship Seminars Multidisciplinary seminars for entry to mid-level professionals addressing pressing regional issues across themes of Public Policy, Technology & Innovation, and Entrepreneurship. The program brings together young Southeast Asian leaders for individual and group-based experiential learning activities designed to create lasting professional relationships between fellows of different nationalities.
• YSEALI Academy Insights Reports Collaborative publications by YSEALI Academy fellows, Fulbright University faculty, and external experts that encapsulate lessons learned during flagship seminar weeks and detail cross-border impact projects incubated during leadership competency-based seminars.
• Seed Grant Program Funding program providing grants to support emerging Southeast Asian leaders in implementing innovative projects and initiatives.
• Alumni Impact Conference 2025 Conference for YSEALI Academy alumni to continue developing their leadership skills and network.

Quantifiable outcome

• 34 young professionals from 11 Southeast Asian countries convened for Impact Entrepreneurship unconference
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• U.S. Department of State - Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020YSEALI Academy was established in 2020 through collaboration between the U.S. Department of State's YSEALI program and Fulbright University Vietnam. The U.S. Department of State provides fellowship funding for selected participants to attend seminars. This partnership aims to build leadership capabilities of youth in Southeast Asia and strengthen US-ASEAN ties.
• Fulbright University VietnamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution for YSEALI Academy. YSEALI Academy operates as an interdisciplinary department within Fulbright University Vietnam, providing the academic infrastructure and faculty for the seminars.
• HCMC-based NGOs and Social BusinessesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNine Ho Chi Minh City-based NGOs and social businesses served as learning partners during the Impact Entrepreneurship unconference in July 2023, working with fellows on solutions to real-world challenges across health-related inequalities, socio-economic disparities, and environmental sustainability.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• The Asia Foundation: A U.S.-government and donor-backed development organization running leadership, governance, and education programs across Asia. Operates at much greater scale but shares the U.S.-soft-power mandate and regional youth-focus.
• Fulbright University Vietnam: The host institution and parent of YSEALI Academy. As a private, not-for-profit Vietnamese-American university, it provides academic infrastructure and is comparable as a U.S.-linked higher-education platform operating in the region.
• Chevening Scholarship (UK Foreign Office): The UK government's flagship international scholarship and fellowship program. A structural peer — government-funded, globally selective, leadership-focused — though degree-oriented rather than seminar-based.

Direct peers

• ASEAN Foundation: ASEAN's body for people-to-people capacity building, running youth fellowships, leadership dialogues, and educational programs across the 11 countries YSEALI Academy serves. Most direct regional peer in mission and audience.
• U.S. Department of State Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI): The broader U.S. State Department umbrella program under which YSEALI Academy operates. YSEALI runs regional convenings, grants, and exchanges for ASEAN youth, making it the closest direct programmatic peer and primary funder.
• TOMODACHI Initiative: A U.S.-Japan State Department-led youth leadership program modeled similarly to YSEALI, providing fellowships, seminars, and alumni networks. Direct operational peer in design, funding structure, and target demographic.

Others

• World Economic Forum Young Global Leaders: WEF's flagship young-leader program identifying and convening emerging leaders globally. Comparable in its focus on building a curated cross-border leadership network, but operates at a higher seniority tier.

Regional players

• Asia School of Business (ASB): A Malaysia-based business school co-established with MIT Sloan, offering MBA and executive programs for emerging Asian leaders. Comparable as a regional leadership platform but more commercially oriented and degree-focused.

Emerging players

• Atlantic Fellows: A global fellowship network from the Atlantic Philanthropies supporting social-justice and leadership fellows across multiple programs. Comparable in fellowship-model delivery and mission-driven leadership development.
• Schwarzman Scholars: A highly selective, fully funded one-year master's in global affairs at Tsinghua University targeting emerging leaders. Comparable in mission (leadership development for emerging leaders) but distinct in delivery (degree vs. short seminars).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/YSEALIAcademyatFulbright
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yseali-academy-at-fulbright-university-vietnam
• Instagraminstagram.com/ysealiacademy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 YSEALI Academy at Fulbright University Vietnam