Asia Pacific Transgender Network

What Asia Pacific Transgender Network does

Asia Pacific Transgender Network (APTN) is a trans-led non-profit foundation founded in 2009 and headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand. It operates as the first and leading regional network advancing the rights of trans and gender-diverse people across Asia and the Pacific, serving a primary community of trans and gender-diverse individuals facing barriers to legal recognition, healthcare, employment, housing, and freedom from violence, alongside secondary audiences of healthcare professionals, partner organizations, and policymakers. Its functional scope spans research, advocacy, movement-building, capacity building, and public campaigning, delivered through a lean 1-10 person Secretariat supported by a Regional Steering Committee and a Thai Foundation Board.

APTN's core products are organized around three branded programmes. The Towards Transformative Healthcare Module (TTHM) is a healthcare-provider training resource delivered as a self-paced online course via Thinkific, a printed Learning Handbook, and a workshop-ready Toolkit, available in nine languages. The Trans Thrive Project is a hate crime monitoring and survivor-resource initiative built on a SurveyMonkey-based multi-language incident reporting survey and a survivor resource database. The Amplifying Trans Advocacy Fellowship supports emerging trans leaders (ages 18-35) through training, mentorship, and seed grants tied to international human rights accountability mechanisms. Supplementary products include the Trans COMP community-based monitoring tool (AAAQ framework), pocket guides on gender-affirming surgeries and menstruation, case studies, and a Community Translation Programme that crowdsources local-language versions of APTN resources.

APTN's business model is donor-funded rather than commercial. Revenue derives from institutional donor grants (Robert Carr Fund, Global Equality Fund, Open Society Foundations, Amplify Change), individual donations, in-kind corporate contributions (TechSoup, Google, Microsoft, WordPress, TrustLaw, Infoxchange), and volunteer labor. All resources, publications, and programmes are provided free of charge to the community, and pricing is not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market motion is community-led: APTN reaches users through subregional convenings, fellowships, capacity-building workshops, public campaigns, digital platforms (website, social media, email newsletter), and a partner network of 40+ organizations across 15+ countries.

Name

Asia Pacific Transgender Network

Legal name

Asia Pacific Transgender Network Foundation

Website

https://weareaptn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Asia Pacific Transgender Network is a trans-led non-profit foundation, founded in 2009 and headquartered in Bangkok, that advances the rights of trans and gender-diverse people across Asia and the Pacific through research, advocacy, healthcare training, hate crime monitoring, and capacity-building fellowships delivered via a network of 40+ partner organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Human Rights Advocacy and Health Education

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Multilingual, Accessibility & Health Literacy Enablement (HLACAEAN), Sexual & Reproductive Health & Family Planning (SRH/FP) Programs (BPADAIAD)

Keywords

• Trans rights advocacy
• Gender-affirming healthcare
• Hate crime monitoring
• Human rights research
• Community capacity building

Headquarters

HQ city

Bangkok Noi

HQ country

Thailand

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Institutional Donor Funding: Funding from private foundations, international institutions, corporations, and NGOs including Robert Carr Fund, Global Equality Fund, and others. Funds are allocated to core and strategic programme costs.
2. Individual Donations: Donations from individual supporters through giving programme, in-memory/honour gifts, and legacy planning.
3. In-Kind Corporate Donations: Technology products and services donated by corporate partners including TechSoup, Google, Microsoft, WordPress, TrustLaw, and Infoxchange.
4. Volunteering: Volunteers contribute time and skills to support APTN's work and projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

APTN is a trans-led non-profit foundation that advances the rights of trans and gender diverse people in Asia Pacific through research, advocacy, capacity building, and public campaigning. Its core offerings are the Towards Transformative Healthcare Module (TTHM) for training medical professionals, the Trans Thrive hate crime monitoring project, the Amplifying Trans Advocacy Fellowship Programme, and multilingual resource publications on gender-affirming healthcare, surgeries, and menstruation. All resources are provided free of charge to community members, healthcare providers, and partner organizations across the region.

Product overview

APTN operates as a trans-led advocacy organization offering a portfolio of educational resources, monitoring tools, and capacity-building programs rather than a technology product company. The core offerings include the Towards Transformative Healthcare Module (available as an online course, printed handbook, and workshop toolkit) for healthcare provider training, the Trans Thrive hate crime monitoring project with a survey-based reporting system, and various resource publications including guides on gender-affirming surgeries and menstrual health. APTN also runs the Amplifying Trans Advocacy Fellowship for movement leaders, maintains community-based monitoring tools for healthcare accessibility, and provides translated fact sheets and video content to support trans and gender diverse communities across the Asia Pacific region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Trans Thrive: A project focused on raising awareness about transphobic violence in the Asia Pacific region and fighting discrimination nationally and locally through hate crime monitoring and reporting.
• Towards Transformative Healthcare Module (TTHM)
• Amplifying Trans Advocacy Fellowship

Products and services

• Towards Transformative Healthcare: Asia Pacific Trans Health and Rights Module (TTHM) A comprehensive introductory resource on trans competent and gender-affirming healthcare for medical professionals and healthcare workers in Asia and the Pacific, available as a self-paced online course (via Thinkific), printed Learning Handbook, and workshop-ready Trans Health Toolkit in multiple languages.
• Trans Thrive Project A hate crime monitoring and reporting initiative that collects data on transphobic violence across Asia Pacific, featuring a survivor-centered reporting survey tool and resource database for accessing legal aid, safe housing, and mental health support.
• Care and Aftercare – A Pocket Guide to Gender-Affirming Surgeries in Asia Pacific A resource publication providing fact-checked, culturally sensitive information on preparing for and recovering from gender-affirming surgeries, including top surgeries for transmasculine persons and bottom surgeries for transfeminine persons in Asia Pacific.
• Towards Transformative Healthcare – Case Studies A learning resource featuring real-world case studies and scenarios with discussion questions to help healthcare professionals examine how systemic bias and transphobia affect access to care and patient well-being.
• Amplifying Trans Advocacy Fellowship Programme A fellowship initiative supporting emerging trans and gender-diverse movement leaders through online and in-person training, mentorship, seed grants, and opportunities to engage in international human rights advocacy spaces.
• Menstruation Handbook for Trans and Gender Diverse People in Asia Pacific A resource designed to help trans and gender diverse individuals navigate menstruation-related challenges, addressing the deeply gendered nature of this topic in healthcare and daily life.
• Trans COMP Community-based Monitoring (CBM) Tools A tool that measures the availability, accessibility, acceptability, and quality (AAAQ) of healthcare services for trans and gender diverse people, enabling communities to advocate for better healthcare systems and hold governments accountable.
• APTN Community Translation of Publications A collaborative initiative inviting community members and organizations to translate APTN resources and publications into local languages to improve accessibility for transgender communities across Asia and the Pacific.
• Trans Health Video Series A supplementary video series featuring personal stories of trans community members and healthcare providers from across Asia and the Pacific, covering topics including terminology, gender-affirming healthcare, trans youth experiences, non-surgical care, and HIV support.
• Being Trans In Asia And The Pacific – Fact Sheets A series of seven fact sheets addressing common questions about being transgender, covering appearance, gender expression, legal and medical transition, and safety for trans and gender diverse people and their families.

Quantifiable outcome

• Trans Health Module available in 9 languages across 3 formats (handbook, online course, toolkit)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Blue Diamond SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in Nepal working on trans rights and advocacy. Participated in South Asia Convening and Trans Thrive project.
• SEED FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst trans-led community-based non-profit organisation in Malaysia co-founded by APTN team member. Works on transgender health and community support.
• Venasa Transgender NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSri Lanka's first intersectionally-inclusive grassroots trans equality network. Board member from Sri Lanka serves on APTN's Regional Steering Committee.
• WajoodcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPakistan-based trans rights organization. Partner in Trans Thrive hate crime monitoring project.
• SamabhabonacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization collaborating on menstruation handbook and trans health resources for Asia Pacific.
• ILGA AsiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPTN led ILGA Asia's 2022 Trans Pre-conference. Collaborative advocacy and human rights work in the Asia Pacific region.
• Transgender Europe (TGEU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean trans organization leading Trans Murder Monitoring project. APTN collaborates on hate crime monitoring and shares data on transphobic murders in Asia Pacific.
• APCOMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAsia Pacific Coalition for Male Sexual Health. Joint project on sexual health survey for transgender women and MSM in Thailand and Vietnam.
• Mariwala Health InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health organization. Joint Peer Support Practice Workshop focusing on mental health and wellbeing of trans people.
• UNAIDScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint work on COVID-19 response for trans communities and HIV prevention. APTN featured in UNAIDS press coverage.
• World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional organization developing Standards of Care for trans health. APTN's Trans Health Module aligns with WPATH SOC principles.
• Pacific Sexual and Gender Diversity Network (PSGDN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional network in the Pacific. Joint work on capacity building and supporting trans communities in Pacific Island countries.
• Youth LEADminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint project Dignity Amidst COVID-19: Trans Youth Leaders' Stories to increase visibility of trans youth leaders in Asia Pacific.
• GATE (Global Action for Trans Equality)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal trans advocacy organization. Co-lead of Trans Advocacy Week at the UN alongside TGEU, RFSL, and others.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• UNAIDS: UN joint programme on HIV/AIDS that jointly worked with APTN on COVID-19 response for trans communities and HIV prevention. UNAIDS is a broader multilateral incumbent in the HIV/SRHR space where APTN delivers community programming.
• World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH): Global professional body issuing Standards of Care for trans health. APTN's Trans Health Module aligns with WPATH SOC principles; WPATH is a broader incumbent shaping the clinical standards APTN operationalizes regionally.

Direct peers

• ILGA Asia: Regional LGBTQI+ advocacy network in Asia. APTN co-led ILGA Asia's 2022 Trans Pre-conference, making it the closest peer on regional LGBTQI+ movement-building and policy advocacy in Asia Pacific.
• Pacific Sexual and Gender Diversity Network (PSGDN): Regional Pacific network of organizations supporting sexual and gender minorities. APTN collaborates with PSGDN on Pacific capacity building, making it a peer in sub-regional LGBTQI+ movement infrastructure.
• GATE (Global Action for Trans Equality): Global trans-led advocacy organization that co-leads Trans Advocacy Week with APTN. GATE is a direct peer in international trans rights advocacy, legal gender recognition and movement-building.
• Transgender Europe (TGEU): European trans-led network that leads Trans Murder Monitoring. APTN is the Asia Pacific partner contributing regional data — TGEU is a direct peer on hate crime monitoring and transnational trans advocacy.
• Youth LEAD: Regional network of young key populations affected by HIV in Asia Pacific. APTN partnered with Youth LEAD on the 'Dignity Amidst COVID-19' trans youth project, positioning them as peers in youth-led regional advocacy.
• SEED Foundation: First trans-led community-based non-profit in Malaysia, co-founded by an APTN team member and recognized with the SUARAM Human Rights Award 2016. SEED is a direct peer in trans-led community health and rights.
• APCOM: Asia Pacific Coalition for Male Sexual Health — a regional community-led network addressing HIV and sexual health across Asia Pacific. APTN partners with APCOM on a joint Thailand/Vietnam sexual health survey, making them peers in regional community health and rights.

Emerging players

• Mariwala Health Initiative: Mental-health focused Indian foundation that jointly ran a Peer Support Practice Workshop with APTN on trans mental health. A thematic peer on intersectional mental-health support for LGBTQI+ communities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WeAreAPTN
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@WeAreAPTN
• Facebookfacebook.com/WeAreAPTN
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/weareaptn
• Instagraminstagram.com/weareaptn

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Transgender Network