Frontier Markets' unique approach amplifies the voices of rural India, leveraging insights to adapt to the evolving needs of rural customers while driving economic value for women.
JAIPUR, India, Oct. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Newly launched impact venture capital fund Beyond Capital Ventures is pleased to announce its investment in Frontier Markets' Series B Bridge round, with participation from Unreasonable Group, Lesing Mauritius Limited and others.
Frontier Markets is the largest social commerce platform that solves rural supply-chain issues for those in last-mile communities. In addition to being women-led, Frontier Markets employs rural women entrepreneurs ("Sahelis") -- 20,000 to be exact -- bridging access gaps to bring products and services like home appliances, smartphones, healthcare services and even cattle feed to rural households' doorsteps. Frontier Markets covers nearly 3,500 villages across seven states and has sold more than 10 million products to 500,000 rural households. The company focuses on the 950 million people in rural India who represent a $100 billion market opportunity.
"Frontier Markets has created powerful distribution channels in rural India, providing goods and services to customers who have been overlooked," said Eva Yazhari, Managing Partner of Beyond Capital Ventures. "Along the way, CEO Ajaita Shah has adapted her company to reflect the needs of her customers, while establishing a business model that centers rural women and is dedicated to making the inefficient efficient."
From its demand generation assisted e-commerce app, to its Sahelis who showcase products, assist with e-commerce purchases, and collect rich insights on customer demands and needs, to the digital marketing provided and its call center team, Frontier Markets has developed a hybrid model of women influencers and technology to drive strong customer conversions.
While the core of the business is rural distribution, Frontier Markets also partners with companies to provide go-to-market (GTM) insights using aggregated sales data. Over the last year, Frontier Markets has established successful GTM partnerships with P&G, Reckitt Benckiser, Jubilant, Saint Gobain, and HDFC.
Frontier Markets' CEO, Ajaita Shah, who's been recognized in Fortune India's 40 Under 40, Forbes' 30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneurs, and most recently as a UBS Global Visionary, founded the company in 2011 after a career in microfinance when she identified distribution and access issues for rural Indian communities. Ajaita's goal is to create a sustainable, profitable supply channel for rural households globally; providing access to critical products and services at an affordable price without affecting quality.
"We are excited to partner with Beyond Capital Ventures as their approach to investing in entrepreneurs is one of a kind. We have been keen to work with funds that believe in a strong gender lens, as well as invest in technology for driving access to scale," said Ajaita Shah, CEO of Frontier Markets. "I am looking forward to tracking incredible growth and economic opportunities for women."
ABOUT FRONTIER MARKETS
Frontier Markets is a last mile distribution platform with a mission to create 'Saral Jeevan' or an 'Easy Life' for rural households in last mile villages by providing them local access to high quality, climate friendly, and gender inclusive products and services, including clean energy services, by investing in rural women entrepreneurs as the connector to rural communities.
ABOUT BEYOND CAPITAL VENTURES
Beyond Capital Ventures is a women-led emerging markets impact venture capital firm, offering a diversified, dynamic, and de-risked portfolio. The firm invests in the next wave of innovations that address the growing needs of 1 billion+ consumers in India and East Africa. Beyond Capital Ventures first closed in Spring 2021 and will invest in conscious leaders building businesses to address growing needs in "need-to-have" sectors, primarily in healthcare, agriculture, and financial inclusion. The fund will also pioneer an Equitable Venture structure that provides Series A level founders in the portfolio with a profit share in the GP carry.
https://www.beyondcapitalventures.com
Media Contact
Mathilde Beniflah, Beyond Capital Ventures, 1 3478644887, [email protected]
SOURCE Beyond Capital Ventures
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