SLASSCOM initiates island-wide launchpad and platform to mentor startups

SLASSCOM Entrepreneurship and Innovation Forum Board Member Anura De Alwis Anura De Alwis

Entrepreneurship and Innovation Forum Head Priyantha Bethmage

Entrepreneurship and Innovation Forum Alternate Head Charindra Wijemanne

The Entrepreneurship and Innovation Forum of Sri Lanka Association for Software Services Companies (SLASSCOM), with their key objective and pursuit of attaining the association’s Vision 2025 of achieving $ 5 billion in revenue, 200,000 jobs and 1,000 startups, are launching a comprehensive program to mentor and uplift local start-ups by formulating and nurturing a startup launchpad and platform.

“Encouraging innovation-centric startups is crucial if we are to spearhead Sri Lanka’s journey towards becoming a sought-after solutions provider of IT/BPO services in the global market,” says SLASSCOM Chairman Channa Manoharan, highlighting that the future-focused drive of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Forum is paving the way for a sustainable startup ecosystem in the island. 

“As we take on a new year of progress, the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Forum is launching a comprehensive program to mentor and uplift local start-ups by formulating and nurturing a startup launchpad and platform,” shares SLASSCOM Entrepreneurship and Innovation Forum Board Member Anura De Alwis.

He further outlined that the mentoring program is designed combining the knowledge, experience and expertise of volunteers across multiple fields such as technical, finance, marketing, legal and operations, to assist and give budding startups holistic guidance in taking their ideas to a commercial level. Startups that sign up for the program will be provided with tailor-made mentoring, support and consultancy, in order to operationalise ideas into profitable ventures, with potential for international expansion. 

Anura went on to explain: “We are adopting an island-wide mindset, targeting potential startups at both university (beginner) and matured levels across all regions of Sri Lanka, including all State owned and private universities.”

Entrepreneur and Innovation Forum Alternate Head Charindra Wijemanne added that the program will include a proper assessment to find out what areas startups need mentoring and then will go on to assign mentors for each startup in each of the areas accordingly.

The mentoring program will continue for a period of one year for each startup, and will bring together Government agencies, facilitators, facilities, community partners who will provide mentoring, curriculum design and other aspects, as well as learning and development partners and investors. 

Gearing startups with a range of tools including new business skills, industry insights and novel problem solving techniques, the startup companies that take part in the program will have the added benefit of being exposed to SLASSCOM’s international network, thus widening their market prospects.

“The program will encompass a special advisory committee made of high profile individuals who possess technical, entrepreneurial and business acumen in the industry. These experienced personnel will be from EXCO level and beyond, and will come onboard to mentor young startups, to provide advice and guidelines,” commented Entrepreneur and Innovation Forum Head Priyantha Bethmage.  

To make the mentoring program a sustainable one, the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Forum is keen on operationalising the system. Commencing the program with industry experts who will work as volunteers and commit their time, effort and networks, going forward the program will look at bringing on board paid mentors to further streamline the mentoring mechanism and ensure the sustainability of the program. 

Driven by multiple objectives, including the identification of novel innovators with potential to be successful entrepreneurs and the portrayal of Sri Lanka as a hub for innovation, while increasing its global innovation index ranking and creating a significant impact in the future to achieve export targets, the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Forum is keen to build and maintain a self-sustaining startup ecosystem in Sri Lanka.