CCC marks 174 years with ‘Spark iT’ award ceremony today

Monday, 25 March 2013 01:06 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) – one of the most renowned institutions in the world will be reaching another milestone today (25 March 2013) by completing 174 years of exemplary service to the business community in Sri Lanka.

Coinciding this landmark day, in keeping with its constant pro-activeness in empowering business improvement and activities towards enhancing national economy, the CCC’s initiative of empowering budding ICT entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka, Spark-iT award ceremony, will take place today at 5 p.m., at Earl’s Court, Cinnamon Lakeside.

Spark-iT is an initiative to award recipients with innovative start-up platforms to empower ICT entrepreneurial developments across Sri Lanka. CCC’s Spark-iT initiative will provide the ideal platform for ICT entrepreneurs and help accelerate business through access to potential private sector investors and expert guidance in developing business plans.

Spark iT will also give an opportunity to attract funding to the budding ICT entrepreneurs, from amongst whom the top four to 10 business plans will receive an additional investment award of Rs. 1 million in cash/equity to implement their business plans. In this initial year, four such ICT plans will receive the coveted investment award and being an annual award, the CCC expects the number of recipients to increase in the coming years.

Great potential is seen in the ICT sector in Sri Lanka which has achieved exponential growth in a short period of a decade. Spark iT will further enable ICT entrepreneurial development through the facilitation of expertise in areas of business development and financial inclusion. Through ‘Spark iT’, aspiring entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to present new ideas and businesses or new ideas for existing businesses in taking their business to the next level.

The CCC is confident of providing the ideal platform for a good ICT business idea to transform into a great business venture. The innovative new platform will help to turbo-charge the start-up ecosystem in Sri Lanka and is aimed at supporting ICT start-ups over the next five years. Through this initiative, CCC and its members will continue to extend ICT entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka an opportunity to launch businesses aided by informative workshops with some of the region’s top entrepreneurs, industry experts and business leaders.

All business proposals received have been evaluated by an evaluation panel comprising of 12 well renowned ICT professionals and venture capitalists. The architects of selected business plans were given the opportunity to present their business proposals before a panel of ICT professionals and elite potential investors, opening them up to multiple capital and partner prospects. This project, spearheaded by the Ceylon Chamber, is supported by event partner Venture Engine, strategic partner SLASSCOM, national partner ICTA, platinum sponsor Etisalat, and sponsors Microsoft, 99x Technology, Orion City, hSenid, IFS and Informatics.

At today’s event, Brandix, Dialog, John Keells and MAS Holdings have come forward as the award sponsors to the winning four budding ICT Entrepreneurs of 2013.