William Taing is an Australian entrepreneur with Chinese and Cambodian heritage. With a background in agriculture, he has dedicated his career to bridging Australian expertise with Southeast Asia’s smallholder farming systems.
As a Director at Beanstalk AgTech, William leverages his Chinese-Cambodian heritage and cross-border experience to drive innovation adoption in the agricultural sector across Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, India and the Philippines.
His work highlights the power of cultural understanding and collaboration to transform smallholder agriculture and build sustainability through technology.
Learning resilience from an early age
William’s parents fled Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge regime and endured life in a Thai border camp. The Taing family was eventually resettled in Australia and moved to Cabramatta. This multicultural suburb in southwestern Sydney became a haven for many Cambodian families rebuilding their lives.
‘We grew up as a tight community, always playing with our neighbours,’ says William. ‘I learnt to speak fluent Teochew so I could engage grandparents, aunties and uncles.’
William absorbed lessons of resilience, solidarity and the importance of preserving cultural identity amid adversity.
Growing up, his parents worked long hours as butchers. William was raised largely by his grandparents who taught him the value of hard work, giving everything your best, and being kind to those around you.
Closing the gap between technology and agriculture
William pursued a Bachelor of Agricultural Economics at the University of Sydney, drawn to agriculture’s role in international development. He later completed a Masters in Farming Systems and Technology at the University of Melbourne.
His early career as an economist and policy advisor with the Victorian Government saw him lead an Australian delegation to China in 2015, forging ties across agriculture, trade, education, and infrastructure. He also lived for a year in Nanjing and Shanghai, connecting with the Chinese side of his heritage while on a scholarship to learn Mandarin.
In 2017, William co-founded Beanstalk, a leading ventures and advisory firm dedicated to driving profitable and sustainable agrifood systems. The company has 30 staff in Australia and Singapore, with senior advisors across Southeast Asia, South Asia, Sub Saharan Africa, Latin America and Australia.
Beanstalk works to bridge the gap between technology and agriculture, helping agribusiness corporations to integrate precision farming tools. The company also partners with agtech innovators and startups to ensure product-market fit. In addition, Beanstalk advises governments and non-governmental organisations on roadmaps for sustainable innovation in countries like Vietnam and Indonesia.
He has seen the potential for tailored tech solutions to have a significant impact in Asia. These include solutions Beanstalk has helped implement, such as a rapid payout ‘parametric’ insurance program and an app helping Indian farmers to identify crop pests and solutions through mobile phone images.
William Taing’s company Beanstalk is introducing advanced agtech tools that are affordable and culturally relevant for smallholder producers.
Making climate-smart agtech accessible to farmers
Informed by regional requirements, Beanstalk identifies and introduces advanced agtech tools that are affordable and culturally relevant for smallholder producers. The business is a catalyst for resilient, climate-smart agriculture across Southeast Asia.
In addition to advisory, one of the fastest-growing parts of the business is the commercialisation of agtech IP and making it accessible in the region. The Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has appointed Beanstalk as a key commercialisation partner to help create agtech pathways for innovations that build drought resilience.
‘I’m fascinated how adopting technology can help the farming sector and drive economic, social and environmental outcomes,’ William says. ‘By closing the gap and helping farmers adopt technologies, they’re on a pathway to a much more resilient and sustainable farming system.’
Cultivating partnerships for sustainable growth
Beanstalk has collaborated with multilateral investors, philanthropic funds, and blended capital vehicles such as AusAID, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Asian Development Bank and more. They work together to de-risk agtech ventures and develop inclusive financing mechanisms for smallholder farmers.
By designing collaborative platforms and convening government officials, local cooperatives, and investors, Beanstalk helps innovations reach the field. This empowers farmers to boost productivity, mitigate climate risks, and access new markets.
William has a guiding philosophy on any new project.
‘Speak to the people and learn their problems first,’ he says. ‘We must always understand people’s norms, challenges and their context before assuming we have a solution.’
William’s experience in Vietnam has made it one of his favourite places to do business.
‘Vietnam has a proactive government that is eager to tackle climate change issues for the agriculture sector, and a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem that can help to bridge this gap,’ Williams says.
Beanstalk has worked alongside Austrade’s teams in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and beyond to connect Australian agribusinesses with Vietnamese partners including local co-operatives. The aim is to help agribusinesses to diversify crops and enhance the food-value chain.
‘With rising demand for food security and climate-resilient agriculture, Southeast Asia presents a prime opportunity for Australian agtech companies to collaborate and grow into new markets,’ says Madeline Ferguson, Southeast Asia Landing Pads Director at Austrade.
‘The Southeast Asia Landing Pads support Australian tech companies to explore these emerging opportunities. Our teams use their in-market expertise and contacts to help scaleups develop and validate market entry plans, connect with key customers and stakeholders, and make informed decisions that improve their chances of success.’
Listening, learning and leading in Southeast Asia
Beanstalk is partnering with ASEAN governments, embedding local advisors across Southeast Asia, and exploring new opportunities to grow its footprint.
Technology is a great enabler, but the old ways of doing business will always apply.
‘Understand the flow and energy of the cities and regions you want to engage with. By going beyond cultural nuances and language, you’ll pick up the ambition and direction,’ says William.
He remains excited by the potential of the Southeast Asia region and the need to cooperate to build shared solutions.
‘We need to learn from each other to leverage the best of what’s out there and what fits in with each farming system,’ he says.
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