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Investing in Women
Investing in Women launched in 2016 as an initiative of Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), with a mandate to accelerate women's...
Investing in Women
Investing in Women launched in 2016 as an initiative of Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), with a mandate to accelerate women's economic empowerment in Southeast Asia. Unlike a traditional family office or commercial fund, the platform operates as a government-backed catalyst, using concessional capital and technical assistance to unlock private investment in women-led small and medium enterprises. Its geographic focus spans Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Myanmar. The strategy operates through three interconnected pillars: a fund-of-funds model that anchors commitments to local gender-lens private equity and venture capital vehicles; direct impact investments and co-investments alongside those funds; and business-coalition partnerships that advocate for workplace gender equality inside large local employers. Confirmed implementing partners include Australian Development Investments (ADI), which manages the fund-of-funds allocations. Asset classes span private equity, growth venture, and private debt. The coalitions—IBCWE in Indonesia, PBCWE in the Philippines, and VBCWE in Vietnam—work with corporate members to shift hiring, retention, and promotion practices. CEO Hannah Birdsey oversees the platform, with Gregory Brown serving as Operations Director and Deputy CEO. The team operates from Canberra, anchoring the initiative within Australia's development finance architecture. Memberships in the Global Private Capital Association (GPCA) and the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) signal a posture calibrated for institutional-grade partners and co-investors. The platform's capital deployment figures remain undisclosed, consistent with its government-agency reporting structure. Structurally, Investing in Women sits at the intersection of a development finance institution and a gender-lens fund-of-funds. The model hinges on market-building rather than perpetual asset management: by proving that gender-diverse management teams and investee companies can meet underwriting thresholds, the platform aims to crowd in commercial limited partners who would otherwise overlook the segment. That architecture makes it a reference point for governments testing whether blended capital can re-price perceived risk in frontier-market gender investing.
General information
Firm type
Government / Public Body
Year founded
2016
Location
Region
Oceania
Country
Australia
City
Canberra
Corporate office
Canberra, ACT, Australia
Principals
Hannah Birdsey
CEO
Gregory Brown
Operations Director and Deputy CEO
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Investing in Women?
CEO Hannah Birdsey leads the overall strategy and execution. The fund-of-funds portfolio is implemented by Australian Development Investments (ADI), which sources, diligences, and monitors local gender-lens fund managers across the platform's target geographies. Investment committee composition and delegation authority are not publicly detailed.
How does Investing in Women source proprietary deal flow?
Proprietary sourcing runs through its in-country business coalitions—IBCWE, PBCWE, and VBCWE—which connect the platform directly to local corporate supply chains and women-led enterprises. The fund-of-funds model adds a second sourcing layer: partner GPs identify direct co-investment opportunities that the platform can participate in alongside their primary commitments.
Is Investing in Women a single family office or an impact fund?
It is neither. Investing in Women functions as a government-backed catalytic platform, structured as an initiative of Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It deploys concessional capital and technical assistance to prove the commercial viability of gender-lens investing, rather than operating as a perpetual asset manager or family office.
Does Investing in Women participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
The platform does both. Its largest allocation channel is a fund-of-funds model where it anchors commitments to Southeast Asian private equity and venture funds with gender-lens mandates. It also makes direct co-investments alongside those partner funds and supports impact-linked direct investments through its business coalition networks.
What investment stages does Investing in Women typically target?
The platform targets growth-stage small and medium enterprises through its fund commitments, typically Series A through growth equity in local-currency terms. Its business-coalition work also reaches earlier, informal enterprises through technical assistance programs, though the dedicated investment capital concentrates on scalable, post-revenue businesses.
Where does the underlying capital come from?
All capital originates from the Australian government's official development assistance budget, allocated through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The platform blends concessional program funding with return-seeking investment capital to achieve its dual mandate of impact and financial sustainability.
How are the business coalitions related to the investment platform?
The Indonesia Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (IBCWE), Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (PBCWE), and Vietnam Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (VBCWE) are separate legal entities incubated by Investing in Women. They operate as employer-led advocacy groups that push member companies toward gender-equal policies while simultaneously serving as a pipeline for investable women-led businesses.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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