Sri Lanka’s first acceleration program with international market access for local entrepreneurs laun

Startup Sri Lanka launches ‘Xeleration’ in partnership with Infocomm Investments

Startup Sri Lanka, an initiative by SLASSCOM Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum, launched Xeleration, Sri Lanka’s first accelerator program, targeting budding entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka, at an event held by the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA). 

Adding a new dimension to a conventional accelerator Xeleration is also a global start-up exchange program for Sri Lankan start-ups. For that, Startup Sri Lanka is partnering with Infocomm Investments Ltd. (IIPL), the investment subsidiary of the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore, to provide start-ups with an international market access opportunity through which start-ups can take their product and company to the next stage of growth and expansion.

Through Xeleration, five deserving start-ups identified with regional growth and potential will get the opportunity to participate in this global exchange program structured in collaboration with Infocomm Investments. This customised program will give start-ups an immersion into the Singapore start-up ecosystem, mentoring from entrepreneurs and domain experts, and exposure to valuable networks that would allow them to capitalise on the regional growth opportunities. 

Ruwindhu Peiris, Vice Chairman and Head of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum SLASSCOM, said: “Xeleration accelerator program is an effective platform to swiftly discover trends and business opportunities in exciting new markets. The initiative was launched as a move to strengthen local start-ups to explore and access new markets, developing current company offerings, helping to overcome the cultural differences and the lack of both local connections and pave access to the international market in order to take a product or service to the next level.”

During the intensive four-week exchange program Sri Lankan entrepreneurs will be able to identify trends and business opportunities in the new market while navigating cultural and regulatory differences. Through mentorship from Singaporean mentors, meetups with key players in the Singapore ecosystem, pitching to investors and potential partners, start-ups will be able to gain valuable insights into their product and thereby refine their product and business model. The entrepreneurs will get an in-depth exposure of Singapore and its start-up ecosystem all while working at BASH, Singapore’s largest integrated startup space that brings together members of the tech building community across the entire value chain – from accelerators, investors, incubators to entrepreneurs. 

Dr. Alex Lin, Head of Infocomm Investments, opined: “I’m pleased to partner with SLASSCOM and Startup Sri Lanka to bring the acceleration model to Sri Lanka. An accelerator is a boot camp-like training regime that shapes, scrubs and polishes start-ups to what they need to be in order to succeed. With IIPL’s exchange program packaged into Xeleration, we look forward to quality start-ups with scalable and commercially viable products coming over to Singapore to access the ASEAN market.”

Xeleration is an initiative supported by SLASSCOM, ICTA, Lanka Angel Network (LAN) and Open University of Sri Lanka.  The Open University of Sri Lanka has opened up a dedicated space at the campus to host selected startups for acceleration. The hope is to expand this network across the country at its regional centers. 

All technology start-ups that have regional and global growth aspirations are invited to apply online to be part of this exciting opportunity at http://www.xeleration.xyz or www.slasscom.lk. The application process will run over the next six weeks to select the most promising startups to join the start-up exchange program in Singapore.