Two AOD design entrepreneurs recognised by industry
Thursday, 3 July 2014 01:45
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Design entrepreneurs pitch for Venture Engine program final round
Chethya Munasinghe
Endemic range by Chethya
‘Design’ fuels value addition in industry; whether it is product design, packaging, corporate branding, apparel or interior design, it is one of today’s most in-demand skills. Because the industry recognises its value today as an employable skill that can also fulfil many needs in the country, it is now paving the way to design entrepreneurship and the creation of new design-led products and businesses. This design entrepreneurship is what Venture Engine is aiming to recognise, support and fund.
Illustrating this further, two AOD design entrepreneurs made it to the final round of Venture Engine program 2014. Chethya – leading a beautifully designed range promoting the country’s endemic identity, and Ruwandhi – taking a kids clothing brand to a new level. Both designers will be pitching at the final round of Venture Engine.
Venture Engine strives to provide Sri Lankan entrepreneurs with the much needed professional guidance and funding required in launching their businesses by helping to develop stronger business plans aided by some of the region’s top entrepreneurs and business leaders. In 2013 alone, Venture Engine funded 12 start-ups with Rs. 200 million and has already funded three successful design led businesses in fashion and graphic led product design. ‘Design’ is in fact one of the eight categories under which Venture Engine selects entrepreneurs. Citing Prajeeth Balasubramanium the Managing Director and Co-Founder of Venture Engine on the program’s strong association with design and the partnership with AOD to develop this sector’s entrepreneurship and the potential that they see in this burgeoning business. “Design being one of the eight categories we’ve formulated Venture Engine under, shows how seriously we take it to be. Design is in fact a sector we see developing rapidly in the near future, providing stable jobs and revenue for many and benefitting almost every other industry by providing a unique, creative value addition. So, yes, we’re very keen to invest on design and we see it as an important component of a developing market that we should encourage,” Balasubramanium said.
Linda Speldewinde, Founder and Managing Director of AOD and visionary promoter of creative entrepreneurship also spoke and mentioned that design is one the most promising careers that young people can enter and currently a career that you can make a real difference in whilst enjoying a stable, lucrative and serious profession: “Design is a sector that has many unfulfilled needs and unclaimed opportunities that talented designers with the correct, formal education and talent can seize. This is why we are so keen to promote it to youngsters as a career path and with programs like venture engine, we’re starting to see more and more young design entrepreneurs starting to commence their own businesses with stable incomes. This is a great turn for Sri Lanka, and we thank Venture Engine for taking the initiative to promote upcoming sectors like this that can deliver a lot for the individual and the nation.”
