Partner Spotlight: Beacon Fund

Beacon Fund’s mission is clear: create a just and equitable investment ecosystem that works for women entrepreneurs by providing them with tailored capital and support, a critical barrier for their growth. This is one of the reasons why Visa Foundation committed a $4 million investment; the other reason is the organization’s impact. By investing in women-led businesses, Shuyin Tang, co-founder and CEO of Beacon Fund, and her team create a positive multiplier effect in the livelihoods of business owners, their employees, customers and broader communities.

Hoa Nang Organic is one of the women-led businesses that has benefited from Beacon’s innovative financing. As an agriculture company in Vietnam focused on producing organic rice, Hoa Nang Organic is led by Dang Thi Truong An. In the agricultural sector, women hold only 14% of management positions and receive only 7% of agricultural investment. Against this reality, An is one of a few women CEOs in the agriculture sector, who leads with deep expertise in organic farming and a demonstrated commitment to diversity at every level. As such, her company works to shatter barriers for women at all levels of this industry’s supply chain and places women at the center of creating value and a positive impact in their communities. To date, An has built a leadership team that is 70% women and an employee base of farmers that is 50% women.

With women making up 37% of the agricultural workforce, Hao Nang’s employee base reflects the people who work in the sector and can improve the livelihoods of both female and male farmers. The company trains farmers in sustainable farming practices, helps them become certified, and pays them 30% to 40% above market rate for their superior products. This investment in the agricultural community means that more farmers, in this case more women farmers, can count on additional income for their families and better their community’s wellbeing. What’s more is the increased return on multiple levels. Thanks to financing from Beacon Fund, in just one year Hoa Nang Organic has increased its revenue by 59% allowing the business to hire more women and impact over a hundred farmers in rural Vietnam.

Portrait of Dang Thi Truong An, who leads Hoa Nang Organic, an agriculture company in Vietnam producing organic rice.

Both Beacon Fund and Hoa Nang Organic are great examples of how companies can advance gender equity across sectors and commit to a holistic approach that goes beyond profit-making, emphasizing social impact and community well-being.

Partnering with Visa Foundation reflects our commitments to making investment systems work better for women-led businesses. We share an understanding that not all businesses fit the venture capital or private equity model yet can be the powerhouses in terms of delivering impact as well as sustainable financial returns.

– Shuyin Tang, CEO, Beacon Fund