CALIFORNIA NEWSWIRE (OAKLAND, Calif.) — The Vietnamese American Business Association (VABA) marks its 15th anniversary this year, celebrating its growth from a Silicon Valley business organization founded in 2011 into an international network connecting more than 2,200 professionals and 720 businesses across 12 U.S. states and eight countries. VABA’s work extends from business financing and investment introductions to international trade, public advocacy and charitable giving.
Under the leadership of founder and chairman David Duong, VABA has expanded its work in business advocacy, international trade, startup investment and community service, helping entrepreneurs build relationships and pursue opportunities in the United States and abroad.
David Duong founded VABA after building businesses in California and Vietnam. His experience as a Vietnamese refugee, American business owner and investor in Vietnam influenced the association’s purpose: helping entrepreneurs gain access to experienced business leaders, share knowledge and develop relationships that would otherwise be difficult to establish.
VABA’s work is built around three core values: Support, Advocacy and Networking. The association connects business owners with advisers, investors and government representatives, helps members raise shared concerns and encourages cooperation across industries and generations. Its motto, “Speak with One Voice,” reflects the importance of a united business community.
David Duong and his family arrived in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1979 after fleeing Vietnam. They began collecting and selling cardboard and other recyclable materials, laying the groundwork for California Waste Solutions, which was established in 1992. The company later expanded into municipal recycling services in Oakland and San Jose. CBS Bay Area documented the family’s early years and David Duong’s subsequent investment in Vietnam.
David Duong later became one of the early Vietnamese American entrepreneurs to make a major investment in Vietnam’s modern waste-treatment industry. In 2005, his company secured an investment license for the Da Phuoc Integrated Solid Waste Facility near Ho Chi Minh City, which began operating in 2007. VietNamNet later described David Duong as a pioneer in the country’s waste-treatment sector. His business experience in both countries helped shape VABA’s approach to international trade and investment.
VABA works with businesses and government representatives in the United States and Vietnam to develop trade, investment and commercial partnerships. The association regularly welcomes delegations of Vietnamese business and government leaders, arranging meetings with U.S. companies, investors and civic officials. In April 2026, VABA helped host the U.S.-Vietnam Business Investment Forum in Oakland, where representatives from Vietnam’s Tay Ninh Province met with American business and civic leaders to discuss investment opportunities, industrial development and economic cooperation.
VABA also provides business education and opportunities for local entrepreneurs to meet with financial institutions and industry professionals. At a May 2024 workshop with Umpqua Bank, business owners met directly with commercial bankers to discuss financing options and loan preparation. VABA’s international relationships extend beyond Vietnam. In June 2024, a delegation from the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry visited the association to discuss potential trade and investment partnerships.
VABA established VABA Venture Capital in 2024, supported by $50 million in investment capital from the Duong family office. In addition to this investment initiative, VABA maintains relationships with venture capital firms, other family offices, angel investors and established business leaders. Through Pitch Perfect, private investor meetings and direct business introductions, the association helps entrepreneurs discuss funding opportunities, receive experienced guidance and develop partnerships that can support their companies’ growth.
VABA’s community involvement includes financial contributions to churches, Buddhist temples, schools and nonprofit organizations serving families and preserving Vietnamese American cultural and religious traditions. The association has also supported Văn Lang Vietnamese-language school, helping younger generations learn Vietnamese and maintain ties to their cultural heritage.
Fifteen years after its founding, VABA’s work extends from business financing and investment introductions to international trade, public advocacy and charitable giving. These activities continue the purpose David Duong established in 2011: to make business experience and professional relationships more accessible to entrepreneurs while giving business owners a stronger collective voice.
VABA is headquartered at 1211 Embarcadero, Suite 202, Oakland, CA 94606. https://www.vabaus.com/
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