In 2025, Sentient focused on strengthening the investigative ecosystem for animals in India and across Asia, while continuing to support investigations globally. Alongside direct investigative support, we invested in research, training, equipment access, and convenings to better understand why evidence so often fails to translate into sustained advocacy, legal action, and reform.
This post provides a high-level overview of our 2025 work and outlines how key learnings from the year shaped our priorities for 2026–2030.
2025 at a glance
Over the past year, Sentient worked across four core areas: investigations, infrastructure and technical support, training and convening, and research and strategy development.
Some investigations supported through our work reached large international audiences, including exposure on Chinese social media platforms, with comments indicating shifts in attitudes toward animal consumption.
Due to safety and legal risks, not all investigations supported in 2025 are public.
Supported the deployment and purchase of 162 investigative cameras across organisations and individuals.
Provided direct technical, cybersecurity, equipment, networking, and operational support to 41 activists, investigators, and animal organisations globally.
Continued to develop Animalist, an open resource library for investigators:
256 investigative resources
34 active users
This support aimed to reduce personal risk, improve evidence quality, and enable investigators to operate more safely and effectively.
Training and community-building
In 2025, Sentient invested heavily in training and convening investigators and advocates across regions.
Conducted two cohorts of our free, 12-week Investigations Masterclass in 2025
Observed more than a twofold increase in participation between cohorts
Across all training formats, participants consistently highlighted the value of practical case studies, regionally relevant examples, and peer connection.
What we learned in 2025
Across research, investigations, training, and convenings, a consistent pattern emerged.
The core constraint facing investigations in India and across Asia is not a lack of cruelty, evidence, or motivation, but the absence of a functioning system that allows evidence to reliably lead to media coverage, legal action, and advocacy outcomes.
Common challenges observed included:
Investigators operating without legal or mental health support
Limited access to reliable and secure equipment
Fragmented and informal training pathways
Evidence remaining unused or weakly integrated into campaigns
Large and neglected sectors remaining under-documented
These observations led us to rethink our role. Rather than focusing primarily on increasing the number of investigations conducted, we identified greater leverage in strengthening the infrastructure around investigations.
From 2026–2030, Sentient will focus on repairing the evidence-to-impact pipeline by investing in:
Investigator capacity and workforce development
Safety, legal, mental health, and technical support systems
A consistent pipeline of high-quality, advocacy-ready investigations
Collaboration and coordination across organisations and regions
We see our role as an anchor organisation: supporting investigators and partner organisations without replacing them, and helping build shared infrastructure that the wider movement can rely on.
Expanding investigator training and support programs
Deepening regional collaboration across India and Asia
Continuing strategic investigations where clear gaps remain
Iterating on our approach based on ongoing learning and feedback
We expect this work to remain complex and uncertain. However, we believe that treating investigations as movement infrastructure, rather than isolated outputs, offers a stronger chance of durable, compounding impact.
Funding context
In 2025, Sentient operated with a budget of approximately $140K, supported by a combination of institutional grants and individual donors. This funding enabled the research, investigative support, training, and convening work described above.
Looking ahead to 2026, Sentient plans to operate with a budget of approximately $207K. Based on current commitments, we anticipate a funding gap of approximately $185K. Additional funding would primarily support investigator training and wellbeing, shared equipment access, and coordination infrastructure across India and Asia.
More details on our funding and plans are available here.
Gratitude to the supporters
We are deeply grateful to the investigators, activists, partner organisations, and supporters who made this work possible in 2025. We welcome feedback and discussion from the EA community.
Sentient’s 2025 Year in Review & 2026–2030 Direction
In 2025, Sentient focused on strengthening the investigative ecosystem for animals in India and across Asia, while continuing to support investigations globally. Alongside direct investigative support, we invested in research, training, equipment access, and convenings to better understand why evidence so often fails to translate into sustained advocacy, legal action, and reform.
This post provides a high-level overview of our 2025 work and outlines how key learnings from the year shaped our priorities for 2026–2030.
2025 at a glance
Over the past year, Sentient worked across four core areas: investigations, infrastructure and technical support, training and convening, and research and strategy development.
Investigative ecosystem research
Published Uncovering Cruelty: The Investigative Landscape in India, based on consultations with investigators and advocates and a review of how investigations are currently conducted, supported, and used in India.
The research identified persistent gaps in:
Investigator safety and wellbeing
Legal and technical support
Training pathways
Coordination between investigations and advocacy actors
This work became a central input into Sentient’s updated long-term strategy and theory of change for India-focused work.
Investigations and exposure
Supported multiple investigations through equipment, technical guidance, and coordination.
Sentient’s Zetta AR1 camera was used in several investigations, including a high-profile slaughterhouse investigation by L214 in France.
Some investigations supported through our work reached large international audiences, including exposure on Chinese social media platforms, with comments indicating shifts in attitudes toward animal consumption.
Due to safety and legal risks, not all investigations supported in 2025 are public.
Infrastructure, tools, and technical support
A significant share of Sentient’s work in 2025 focused on reducing practical and operational barriers faced by investigators.
Supported the deployment and purchase of 162 investigative cameras across organisations and individuals.
Provided direct technical, cybersecurity, equipment, networking, and operational support to 41 activists, investigators, and animal organisations globally.
Continued to develop Animalist, an open resource library for investigators:
256 investigative resources
34 active users
This support aimed to reduce personal risk, improve evidence quality, and enable investigators to operate more safely and effectively.
Training and community-building
In 2025, Sentient invested heavily in training and convening investigators and advocates across regions.
Webinars
Co-hosted Using Investigations to Grow Your Activism with India Animal Fund and FIAPO (40 participants from across India).
Hosted Introduction to Investigations for Asian activists with Welfare Matters (19 participants from 5 countries).
First Asia Investigations Symposium (co-organised with Reporters for Animals International)
57 participants from 10+ countries
82% from Asia, 55% from India
90% rated sessions highly
40+ verified investigators connected through follow-up coordination
Investigations Masterclass
Conducted two cohorts of our free, 12-week Investigations Masterclass in 2025
Observed more than a twofold increase in participation between cohorts
Across all training formats, participants consistently highlighted the value of practical case studies, regionally relevant examples, and peer connection.
What we learned in 2025
Across research, investigations, training, and convenings, a consistent pattern emerged.
The core constraint facing investigations in India and across Asia is not a lack of cruelty, evidence, or motivation, but the absence of a functioning system that allows evidence to reliably lead to media coverage, legal action, and advocacy outcomes.
Common challenges observed included:
Investigators operating without legal or mental health support
Limited access to reliable and secure equipment
Fragmented and informal training pathways
Evidence remaining unused or weakly integrated into campaigns
Large and neglected sectors remaining under-documented
These observations led us to rethink our role. Rather than focusing primarily on increasing the number of investigations conducted, we identified greater leverage in strengthening the infrastructure around investigations.
How this shaped our 2026–2030 priorities
Learning from 2025 directly informed Sentient’s 2026–2030 strategy and theory of change for India-focused work.
From 2026–2030, Sentient will focus on repairing the evidence-to-impact pipeline by investing in:
Investigator capacity and workforce development
Safety, legal, mental health, and technical support systems
A consistent pipeline of high-quality, advocacy-ready investigations
Collaboration and coordination across organisations and regions
We see our role as an anchor organisation: supporting investigators and partner organisations without replacing them, and helping build shared infrastructure that the wider movement can rely on.
→ Full 2026–2030 strategy here
→ Strategy Overview here
→ India theory of change here
Looking ahead
In 2026, our focus will be on:
Expanding investigator training and support programs
Deepening regional collaboration across India and Asia
Continuing strategic investigations where clear gaps remain
Iterating on our approach based on ongoing learning and feedback
We expect this work to remain complex and uncertain. However, we believe that treating investigations as movement infrastructure, rather than isolated outputs, offers a stronger chance of durable, compounding impact.
Funding context
In 2025, Sentient operated with a budget of approximately $140K, supported by a combination of institutional grants and individual donors. This funding enabled the research, investigative support, training, and convening work described above.
Looking ahead to 2026, Sentient plans to operate with a budget of approximately $207K. Based on current commitments, we anticipate a funding gap of approximately $185K. Additional funding would primarily support investigator training and wellbeing, shared equipment access, and coordination infrastructure across India and Asia.
More details on our funding and plans are available here.
Gratitude to the supporters
We are deeply grateful to the investigators, activists, partner organisations, and supporters who made this work possible in 2025. We welcome feedback and discussion from the EA community.