Vietnam’s electric vehicle maker VinFast has signed memoranda of understanding with 13 dealer partners to develop 27 new showrooms across the Philippines, while Patamar Capital-backed Beacon Fund has announced investments in two women-owned and -led Vietnamese businesses.
VinFast partners with 13 dealers to expand Philippine network
Vietnamese electric vehicle maker VinFast has signed memoranda of understanding with 13 dealer partners to develop 27 new showrooms across the Philippines, as it steps up its expansion in the Southeast Asian market.
The new showrooms will span Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, including major urban centres such as Metro Manila and Cebu, as well as Cagayan de Oro, Tacloban and Subic Bay. The expansion is part of VinFast’s plan to build a network of 60 dealerships in the Philippines in 2026.
The 13 local partners include Elite North Auto Cars, MG Gateway Mantrade, Grand Canyon Multi Holdings, Britannica United Motors, VF Auto Sto Tomas, GR8 Marketing Motors, ARCMA Motors, Autonomics Motor, Gershom Car Trading, Areza Motor Sales, Central Auto Resources, Autolink Global Motors, and Greenport Mobility.
“With the support of our local partners, VinFast will continue to expand our operations in the years ahead, gradually making green mobility a more accessible and convenient choice for Filipino consumers,” said Antonio Zara, CEO of VinFast Southeast Asia.
VinFast is also expanding its after-sales service network and charging infrastructure in the country with support from V-Green and local partners.
Beacon Fund backs two women-led businesses
Patamar Capital-backed Beacon Fund has signed investment agreements with two women-owned and -led Vietnamese businesses, biodegradable plastics manufacturer GPS PLAS and omnichannel commerce company Nina Group.
The investments are Beacon Fund’s second and third under its partnership with the Australian government through Investing in Women’s “Innovation Window” programme. The financial terms were not disclosed.
Beacon Fund provides medium-term loans without requiring real estate as collateral, targeting women-owned and -led small and medium-sized enterprises that may face constraints in accessing traditional financing. The two investments also include impact-linked incentives that reduce interest rates if the companies achieve agreed social impact targets.
Founded in 2017, GPS PLAS manufactures biodegradable plastics in Vietnam using a vertically integrated model covering resin blending, film blowing, printing and product finishing. The company will use the funding to add machinery and equipment, expand its production facility and increase capacity.
Nina Group, founded by Nguyen Thi Truc Phuong, or Nina Nguyen, in 2022, operates Nina Ecom Center, an O2O commerce platform connecting brands, content creators, platforms and consumers.
Nina Ecom Center has more than 100 employees and works with a network of over 10,000 content creators and more than 300 brands and partners. It provides services spanning livestreaming, affiliate marketing, event organisation, e-commerce store operations, short-form video production and creator training.
The investment will finance facilities and working capital as Nina Group seeks to standardise and scale its O2O commerce ecosystem. The company aims to operate a network of 10 Nina Ecom Centers by 2030.
Impact investor Patamar Capital‘s $50-million Beacon Fund backs women-led enterprises in SE Asia’s emerging markets. The fund has so far backed nine women-led businesses, including Hoa Sen Viet Group, MindX, Hapas, Vua Cua Restaurant, Bo Cau, Lotus Group, Hoa Nang Organic, CAS Energy, and Kormac.
