Voice for Asian Elephants Society

Name

Voice for Asian Elephants Society

Legal name

Voices for Asian Elephants

Website

https://vfaes.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Advocacy, Policy & Public Awareness (Animal Welfare) (BPAGAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rescue, Transport & Emergency Animal Response (BPAGAIAB), Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation
• Elephant protection
• Habitat restoration
• Conservation technology
• Environmental education

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute through the website using PayPal, with options for one-time and monthly donations. The organization emphasizes donor engagement with incentives like signed digital posters and documentary downloads for referral donors.
2. Fundraising Events: Virtual auctions (EleFootprints), gala events, virtual festivals, and live art fundraisers that raise funds for specific conservation projects.
3. Grants and Endorsements: Support from organizations such as National Geographic Society for Explorer programs, and programmatic partnerships with conservation foundations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Voice for Asian Elephants Society (VFAE) is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that conducts conservation, advocacy, and education programs to protect endangered Asian elephants and their habitats. The organization deploys proprietary technology—including the EleSense AI-based train collision early warning system, life-sized robotic elephants for temple processions, and GIS habitat mapping—alongside documentary filmmaking (Gods in Shackles, Asian Elephants 101), an Elephants and People school curriculum, and on-the-ground field projects including Odisha corridor restoration and Thailand elephant sanctuary support.

Product overview

Voices for Asian Elephants Society (VFAE) operates as a nonprofit organization focused on elephant conservation rather than a unified software product. The organization's offerings include documentary films (Gods in Shackles, Asian Elephants 101), technology products (EleSense early warning system, robotic elephants), education programs (Elephants and People Curriculum), and conservation projects (Odisha Corridor Restoration, Thailand Elephant Rehabilitation). The technology products use AI for detection and autonomous functions, while documentaries and education serve awareness and advocacy purposes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gods in Shackles: Award-winning documentary exposing the exploitation and torture of Asian elephants in Kerala, India. Nominated at the United Nations General Assembly and won 13 international film festival awards.
• Asian Elephants 101
• EleSense

Products and services

• Gods in Shackles (Documentary) Award-winning feature-length documentary exposing the exploitation and torture of Asian elephants in Kerala's temple festivals, distributed through community screenings, film festivals, and streaming platforms to raise global awareness.
• Gods in Shackles (Book) Memoir by Sangita Iyer with a foreword by Jane Goodall, published by HarperCollins, documenting the journey to advocate for Asian elephants and exposing temple elephant exploitation for general readers.
• Asian Elephants 101 (Documentary Series) Documentary series raising awareness about the plight of wild Asian elephants and human-elephant conflict, with segments aired on National Geographic channels.
• Robotic Elephants Life-sized autonomous robotic elephants with AI and motion technology that mimic the appearance and movements of real elephants (ear flapping, eye movement, water spraying) to replace live captive elephants in Indian temple festivals and processions.
• EleSense Early Warning System AI-based early warning system using sensors that detect height, temperature, movement, and pattern with 100% accuracy to identify elephants near railway tracks, transmitting alerts via SMS to station masters and triggering sirens to warn elephants.
• Elephants and People Curriculum Nature-based systems-thinking education curriculum for secondary schools in human-elephant conflict zones, integrating the Asian Elephants 101 film series, outdoor sensory experiences, journaling, and dialogue to build student empathy and wildlife protection awareness.

Quantifiable outcome

• EleSense has averted more than 1,300 train collisions with elephants between January 2023 and November 2024
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• The Elephant InitiativeminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Collaborated on the 2023 EleFootprints online auction held on World Elephant Day to raise funds for Odisha habitat restoration projects.
• Save the Strays InternationalminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Collaborated on the 2023 EleFootprints online auction to raise funds for VFAE rewilding projects in Odisha.
• Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership established in 2022 to grow and transplant thousands of elephant-friendly saplings in Odisha elephant habitat adjacent to existing corridors. 11,000 seedlings reared with 90% survival rate.
• SNAP FoundationcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnical partner providing expertise for EleSense AI-based early warning system development. SNAP Foundation collaborated on installing devices and sensor technology to detect elephants near railway tracks.
• Nature Mates IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrassroots partner in West Bengal responsible for on-the-ground EleSense device installation and maintenance in Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary and Buxa Tiger Reserve areas.
• Boon Lott's Elephant Sanctuary (BLES)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVFAE contributed 14 acres of land to expand this Northern Thailand sanctuary that rescues elephants from tourism and logging industries. Partnership focuses on rehabilitation of rescued elephants in a natural forest environment.
• PARIBARTANcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrassroots partner working alongside VFAE and Indigenous tribal communities in Odisha for corridor restoration and habitat rewilding projects.
• Kerala High CourtminorOthersWhile not a formal partnership, the Kerala High Court has issued directives regarding elephant welfare at Punnathur Aanakotta sanctuary following petitions that may relate to issues VFAE advocates for.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Elephant Family: UK-based charity founded to protect Asian elephants, supporting projects across India and Southeast Asia. Direct peer in mission, geography, and donor-funded conservation model.
• Boon Lott's Elephant Sanctuary (BLES): Northern Thailand sanctuary that rescues and rehabilitates elephants from tourism and logging. Direct partner of VFAES (14-acre land contribution) and a directly comparable nonprofit operating in the captive-elephant welfare space.
• Asian Elephant Specialist Group: IUCN-affiliated specialist group focused exclusively on Asian elephant conservation. Highly comparable species-specific focus, though its work centers on policy, research, and species assessments rather than on-the-ground project delivery.
• Asian Elephant Support: US-based nonprofit dedicated exclusively to the conservation of Asian elephants in their range countries. Closely comparable mission, donor-funded operating model, and geographic focus.
• Nature Mates India: Kolkata-based grassroots wildlife and environmental NGO and VFAES partner responsible for EleSense installations in West Bengal sanctuaries. Direct peer in on-the-ground conservation execution in eastern India.
• Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI): India-based wildlife conservation NGO that is also a VFAES strategic partner (joint sapling program in Odisha). Directly comparable in scope, geography, and mission of protecting Indian wildlife including elephants.

Broad incumbents

• International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW): Global animal welfare and conservation organization with active programs addressing wildlife trade, habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflict. Comparable as a fundraising-driven nonprofit using media and advocacy for animal welfare outcomes.
• World Wildlife Fund (WWF): Global conservation leader with active Asian elephant programs in India, Thailand, and other range states. Overlaps with VFAES on habitat protection, human-wildlife conflict mitigation, and policy advocacy, though WWF operates at much larger scale.
• Humane Society International: Large global animal protection organization with programs addressing captive wildlife, including advocacy against use of animals in religious and entertainment contexts. Comparable as an advocacy-driven nonprofit working on animal welfare reform.
• Wildlife Conservation Society: One of the largest global wildlife conservation nonprofits, operating field programs across Asia and Africa. Directly comparable in mission to protect endangered species and their habitats, but at a vastly larger scale and broader portfolio than VFAES.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/vfaes_org
• YouTubeyoutube.com/results?search_query=voices+for+asian+elephants
• Facebookfacebook.com/vfaes.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/voice-for-asian-elephants-society
• Instagraminstagram.com/vfaes_org

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Voice for Asian Elephants Society