Start-Ups Archives

December 27, 2023

The BCI Campus initiated the BCI Coding Club and hosted its first installation ceremony on 4^th November 2023. The purpose of the Club is to promote and advance the knowledge, skills, and passion for coding and computer programming among its members. This includes, but is not limited to:

1.Providing a collaborative learning environment for members to share knowledge, experiences, and projects related to coding.

2.Organizing coding workshops, hackathons, coding challenges, and other educational events.

3.Offering practical learning experiences through real-world projects in addition to theoretical instruction.

4.Establishing a pathway for building a portfolio of projects that can be valuable when applying for internships, jobs, or further education.

The event represented a significant achievement for BCI Campus as it strives to empower students with skills in technology and coding. The BCI School of Computing, led by Dr. Waruna Premachandra, Head of the School of Computing, and Ms. Duthika Wickramasuriya, Coordinator of the BCI Coding Club, organised the ceremony.

Mr. K. Kuganathan, Group Chief Information Officer of Janashakthi Group, was the chief guest for the occasion. In his address to the audience, he expressed “I am delighted to observe the establishment of the Coding Club at BCI Campus. The augmentation of knowledge and skills in the realms of IT and AI holds paramount significance in today’s dynamic world. Students are privileged to have this platform, and I urge everyone to come together in this exhilarating journey toward a future that is both brighter and technologically advanced”.

Distinguished guests from the IT industry were also invited at the event, including Mr. Shevan Goonetilleke, CEO of Millennium IT ESP, Mr. Jude Stephen, Founder & CEO of Stephen Innovations, and Dr. Ranga Rodrigo, Head of the Department of Electronic & Telecommunication Engineering at the University of Moratuwa.

Together with Mr. K. Kuganathan, these industry experts have been honored with the role of Patrons for the BCI Coding Club. Their involvement and guidance will be indispensable as the Club embarks on its mission to empower students with the essential technology and coding competencies required for the future.

Speaking at the event, Rev. Dr. Camillus Fernando, Vice Chancellor noted, “I am delighted to be present at the launch of the Coding Club which aims to equip students with coding and tech skills crucial for the 21st century. I congratulate the School of Computing on this initiative and encourage all students to actively participate to enhance competencies beyond academics. Let the event mark BCI’s journey to nurture world-class technologists and innovators.”

At the event, the BCI Coding Club unveiled its official website, www.coding.bci.lk, and formally appointed the executive committee members of the club. A special oath-taking ceremony was conducted to induct new members. Additionally, a presentation highlighting BCI’s flagship coding competition, Codemize, was delivered.

The BCI Coding Club’s executive committee is composed of capable student leaders who will guide the club in upcoming tech competitions, events, and projects. The Executive Committee Members are as follows: President – Ms. Imasha D. Williams, Vice President – Master. Nipuna Lakruwan, Tech Lead – Master. Udara Dananjaya, Event Coordinator – Master. Nisal Perera, Secretary – Ms. Nirmalie Perera, Assistant Secretary – Ms. Shehani Payoe, Assistant Treasurer – Master. Zaeem Sahrudeen, Project Manager – Master. R. Shehan Maleesha Peiris, Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator – Master Linusha R. Chandimal, Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator – Master John Edwin Rajaratnam, and Membership Coordinator – Ms. Dewmi Nihara Tharushi.

April 27, 2023

Feelo, a Sri Lankan startup company that offers unique experiential packages, has announced its first investor partnership just four months into business. The company’s first investor, Ales Ryp, is a Czech entrepreneur and venture capitalist known for his work with Czech-based online experience platform, Slevomat. The partnership marks a significant milestone for Feelo, demonstrating investor confidence in the company’s mission and vision for the future.

Feelo’s co-founder and CEO, Ondrej Lang, is thrilled to receive the backing of investors just four months into business. ” I believe that Sri Lanka has enormous potential in its people, nature, and culture. With the support of those who believe in the story of Feelo, we aim to build a Sri Lankan company that can disrupt the entire South Asian market. It will bring us much joy if we can help Sri Lankans enjoy their lives at least a bit more.”

Feelo offers unique experiential packages to their customers at discounted rates. The packages are designed to provide users with unforgettable experiences, from adventure sports to cultural tours. Users can simply make their purchase online, visit the vendor, and enjoy the experience.

On Feelo, customers can buy vouchers for experiences ranging from candlelit dinners, luxury stays with safaris, 4-course tasting menus, and even smashing bottles or TVs to relieve stress. Customers can also enjoy Japanese cuisine, get a creative haircut, try out nail or face wellness treatments, experience a food trail through a traditional Sri Lankan village, or spend a night in the rainforest. Feelo offers a 100% money-back guarantee if customers are not satisfied with their experience.

What sets Feelo apart is its focus on providing great experiences, and a business model centered around curated packages incorporating additional services from vendor partners. Hasanta Sumudupriya, COO and Director of Feelo, explains that the startup has a unique offering that differentiates it from other companies in the market. “Currently we have no direct competitor, possess unique insider knowledge from similar successful foreign companies, and have shown results by crossing 15 million orders within the first 4 months. Our packages are unique. We offer experiences as packages, where users can just buy, go and enjoy.”

Since the inception of their platform 4 months ago, Feelo’s current market size has grown to more than 1,300 customers, and has engaged in over Rs. 13 million worth of customer transactions with vendor partners. There is growing confidence in Sri Lanka’s startup ecosystem despite economic challenges, and Feelo’s success in riding the venture capital wave is a testament to the potential of tech start-ups in Sri Lanka. With Ryp’s backing, Feelo is projected to reach $1 million in revenue within the year.

Ondrej and his team are confident of the impact that Feelo will have in the near future. “In 3 years, our goal is to have revenues over $10 million and to be active in two foreign markets in addition to Sri Lanka. I aim to build a Sri Lankan company that disrupts the whole South Asian market.”

The country has seen a rise in entrepreneurship in recent years, and investors are taking notice of the opportunity. Two other angel investors and one Sri Lankan employee have also invested in Feelo, demonstrating the team’s belief in the company.

Feelo is poised to make a significant impact on the market. The company’s unique offering and commitment to providing unforgettable experiences make it a standout in the industry, and the investment from Ryp is a testament to the potential of Feelo’s vision. For more information visit: feelo.lk

February 13, 2023

With the aim of scaling up to pursue its ambitious expansion plans to be in the forefront of providing households with a range of home services with its revolutionary and streamlined platform, QuickHelp has recently secured LKR 21mn through a seed funding round.

The funding was backed by existing investor Bhanuka Harischandra of Viridian Fund, as well as Lankan Angel Network’s Angel Fund, and Dr. R de Silv of A1M Capital.

In a short span of time, QuickHelp has seen a tremendous growth with an increasing user base, which resonates well with consumers looking for instant, professional and reliable service providers to get just about anything fixed or repaired at their homes. This will help enable households to do away with the frustrations and disappointments of incomplete jobs and incompetent skills, incurring more time, effort and money.

Shahid Admani, founder and CEO said, “We are thrilled to have the trust and support of such reputable investors especially at a time where we as a country face various economic challenge. This positive sentiment is a testament to our core purpose of redefining how people consume and provide services. As we continue to work hard to organize this unorganized space, we will continue to invest in our people and technology, and to roll out newer products that will improve the experience for both consumers and service partners.”

QuickHelp will also expand its service categories as well as its reach geographically to ensure consumers have access to numerous services for their homes and for themselves, and eventually to also cover key cities and towns across the country, said its co-founder and head of operations Junaid Admani.

This will also encourage and empower the service providers which form approximately 25% of the employed population in Sri Lanka, paving a way for increased revenue generation and actively participating and deploying their skills, uplifting their standards of living and creating more micro-entrepreneurs. The company’s efforts in this regard earned the Aavishkaar Impact Award at Venture Engine 2021/2022. QuickHelp is actively looking for talent to join their team and pursue this bold vision.

January 25, 2023

Hatch-HDFC-Bank-sign-MOU-officiating-partnership-2-LBN.jpg

In a one of a kind collaboration; Hatch, the award winning co-working space, start-up incubator and accelerator is partnering with HDFC Bank as their official banker, to give its community of startups access to an exclusive loan facility, the benefits of which will support these startups in strategically growing their business in the face of Sri Lanka’s challenging economic climate.

Accounting for 90% of all businesses, providing 45% of employment and contributing towards 52% of Sri Lanka’s GDP – Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME’s) are the backbone of Sri Lanka’s economy. With a large majority of the local population living in rural areas where MSME’s are a major source of employment and income generation, they are critical to alleviating poverty. Supporting the survival and growth of local MSME’s must be a strategic priority in Sri Lanka’s recovery plan to ensure growth and development of the local economy and society.

Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) Bank is a specialized bank registered with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. HDFC is a semi-governmental institution listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) and the General Treasury holds 51% shareholding through the National Housing Development Authority. HDFC Bank is the Premier financial partner for low and middle income individuals in ensuring sustainable housing and living standards with an island wide network of 39 branches. Whilst Housing Finance is the core business, HDFC Bank goes beyond housing rudiments, helping homeowners with household requirements, education and Development Finance, financing for micro and small entrepreneurs, Leasing and Gold loans intended to support and uplift Sri Lankans in leading a better life.

Hatch has run several Incubator and Accelerator programs since its inception in late 2018 and has many more in the pipeline for 2023 aimed at driving local entrepreneurship across the island. These programs are aligned with Hatch’s belief that entrepreneurs are the catalyst for economic development, collaboration drives innovation and that everyone, regardless of background, should be given the opportunity to create a meaningful impact in the world. Starting with just 28 start-ups, in four years Hatch has supported over 500 start-ups. Of these, they have incubated and accelerated 37% of them through programs and 33% of the founders are women-led or focused businesses.

Programs addressing barriers faced by women in entrepreneurship through mentorship, business development, and investor matching have always been a key pillar for Hatch, starting with the Kickass program in 2020. In September 2021 the AccelerateHer program was launched and is now one of Hatch’s core programs. As part of the outreach done for AccelerateHer, the Hatch team along with subject matter experts traveled from Colombo, to Galle, Kandy, Batticaloa and Jaffna to run immersive 3-day boot camps covering key areas in business and entrepreneurship. Hatch programs aimed at developing female entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka have produced over 50 alumni from across the country who are now part of the Hatch ecosystem and will therefore have access to this loan facility.

This collaboration between Hatch and HDFC allows both parties to leverage their existing strengths to support and develop the local Sri Lankan economy by driving entrepreneurship.

November 17, 2022

John Keells X (JKX) is a startup accelerator and open innovation programme that has been helping startups obtain funding, receive training and the right connections to scale and grow into successful companies. JKX recently conducted “JKX Accelerate” Demo Day, following the Pre-Accelerator programme for startups. The event saw 12 startups pitching to a panel of judges comprising corporate leaders who selected 6 of the startups as winners and for funding up to LKR 50 million, along with entry into the accelerator program. The 6 winners selected were EzShip.io, an end-to-end courier service aggregator for e-commerce businesses; Kommon Poll, a social listening tool and analytics platform; Rhoda, delivering innovative electric mobility solutions designed and built in Sri Lanka; Balamu, an immersive mobile travel audio guide for Sri Lanka; ShopBook, helping small and medium businesses to transform their physical ledgers to digital; and Gavesha Labs, a startup with a vision to empower STEM education through technology and help reduce barriers for kids in accessing tech education.

The Pre-Accelerator programme hosted an array of informative webinars, in-person workshops, and meetups covering crucial topics including Accounting & Finance, Legal & Intellectual Property, Marketing & Branding, and Corporate Finance. Each session was hosted by the leadership or management team of the relevant John Keells Group departments. A webinar series on “Disciplined Entrepreneurship” was hosted by Marius Ursache, the lead trainer for JKX, a teaching fellow and mentor at MIT, and entrepreneur in residence at Techstars.

The panel of judges comprised of Krishan Balendra – Chairperson John Keells Group, Gihan Cooray – Deputy Chairperson & Finance Director John Keells Group, Vidhya Ganesan – Partner at McKinsey & Company, Ramesh Shanmuganathan – CIO/Executive Vice President at John Keells Group and CEO of JKIT, Sanjiva Weerawarana – Founder, Director and CEO of WS02 and Jiffry Zulfer- Founder & CEO of PickMe.

Speaking at the event Wishanth Wijesinha, Head of John Keells X and Assistant Vice President of John Keells Group said “this year’s pre-accelerator programme has been unique, given everything that transpired over the last 6 months. I am extremely impressed and proud of the founders who went through the program, committing their time and mind space to keep working on their startups. I am looking forward to working with all these teams moving forward, especially the winners who will enter the 6-month accelerator program with funding.”

This is the 4th programme that John Keells has designed and launched to help startups. As Sri Lanka’s largest listed conglomerate, John Keells has empowered the local startup ecosystem by providing funding, connections, access to market, mentoring, training, office space, and other means of support.

Ramesh Shanmuganathan, CIO of John Keells Group and Chief Executive Officer of JKIT also shared his thoughts. “We launched JKX 4.0 with a view to create the next normal which is powered by collaboration, co-innovation and co-creation. We must explore and adapt unconventional methods to fuel value innovation by embracing modern concepts such as lateral thinking, persona-based journey mapping and design thinking by leveraging each other’s strengths, collective intelligence and connecting the DOTS that can potentially create value looking into the future.”

Past winners of the competition such as Blue Lotus 360, Helios P2P, SenzAgro, DirectPay and many more have flourished over the years. The successful growth of its alumnus is a testament to the remarkable impact that JKX has had since its inception. JKX Accelerate (accelerator program), Innovate (Open Innovation Platform) and Elevate (for scale-ups) tracks offer incredible opportunities for up-and-coming startups to jump-start their growth with the strengths of the John Keells Group.

John Keells X (JKX) initiatives are further strengthened by its partner network including ICTA, as the National Partner; SLASSCOM, as the Industry Partner; and Microsoft for Startups, as the Technology Partner.

October 31, 2022

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – October 27th, 2022 – Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub was recently launched in Sri Lanka to empower local startup founders to turn their ideas into reality and help boost the economy.

The Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub is designed to remove traditional barriers to building a company and help founders innovate and grow, regardless of their background, location, progress, or passions. Budding startups in Sri Lanka can now gain access to technology, expertise, and software benefits, which includes access to proprietary technology tools such as Azure credits, Microsoft 365, GitHub Enterprise, Visual Studio Enterprise, Power BI Pro, Power Platform Power Automate and more.

Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub is centered around three key areas:

Unlocking innovation for all: The platform eliminates traditional barriers founders face when getting started, such as venture capital requirements or third-party validation to help any founder regardless of background, location or access be successful.

Technology benefits that grow: Keeping pace with a startup’s lifecycle, the platform helps founders speed development with free access to GitHub Enterprise and the Microsoft Azure with the ability to unlock additional benefits over time. To address the unique needs of startups, Microsoft has partnered with innovative companies like OpenAI, a global leader in AI research and deployment, that develops AI systems such as GPT-3 and Codex to provide startups with exclusive benefits and discounts.

Access to mentorship and guidance: Becoming a founder is no longer about “who you know.” Through the platform, startups can connect with industry veterans, access tailored startup-centric training and innovate quickly with expert technical guidance.

Sook Hoon Cheah – General Manager, Southeast Asia New Markets at Microsoft delivered the keynote at the launch event, held on the 27th of October 2022 at the Kingsbury Hotel Colombo, under the theme “‘Made in Asia’ to ‘Born in Asia’” to showcase the potential of the ambitious startup ecosystem in Sri Lanka to reach global heights with the power of Microsoft technology.

During her keynote she said, “Asia is expected to generate half of the world’s GDP by 2050 and account for more than half of all R&D investments by 2030. ‘Made in Asia’ exports are being overtaken by high value ‘Born in Asia’ creativity, originality, and innovation that promises to shape the rest of the 21st century. With the power of Azure, startups are able to do more with less across their entire lifecycle. We see massive potential to be unlocked in Sri Lanka and the role they play in reviving the country’s economy.”

The event also included a panel discussion which represented key personalities of the startup ecosystem including founders, incubators, accelerators, and policy maker/governance body ICTA. These panelists shared their learnings and expertise about the startup landscape in Sri Lanka including the challenges commonly faced and solutions to overcome them. Moderated by Chinthaka Dunuwille, SMB Lead for Sri Lanka & Maldives at Microsoft, the panel featured Sachindra Samararatne – Associate Chief Digital Economy Officer at ICTA, Jeevan Gnanam – Co-Founder of Hatch Sri Lanka, Jiffry Zulfer – Founder & CEO of PickMe (Digital Mobility Solutions Lanka (PVT) Ltd) and Viranga Kekulawala – Founder and CEO of EIMSKY Business Solutions Pvt Ltd.

Matthew Hardman – Chief Technology Officer for Global Partner Solutions in APAC and Suwani Senani – Cloud Solution Architect at Microsoft jointly presented a tech session for the audience on “Build with Azure” which demonstrated tools, technologies and features for startups to build with Azure cloud.

“In spite of a very challenging economic landscape, investment towards the local startup ecosystem of Sri Lanka grew at 13% in 2021. With the launch of Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub in Sri Lanka, we are enabling incubation at scale for local startups to fuel the economy and take innovation from Sri Lanka to the world stage,” said Harsha Randeny – Country Manager for Microsoft Sri Lanka and Maldives.

Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub launching in Sri Lanka stands as a testament to the tech company’s strife for driving growth among startups in the country. By harnessing the array of Microsoft technologies on offer to startups, they can uniquely position themselves to take their businesses global, eventually resulting in returns for the entire nation.

Microsoft Sri Lanka has been present in Sri Lanka since 2004.

August 4, 2022

Rootcode, one of Sri Lanka’s leading tech companies, recently took home the “People’s Choice Award” in addition to being bestowed with the “Startup of the Year” title at the SAARC Startup Awards 2022. This regional recognition marks a significant milestone for the Sri Lankan tech space and workforce. Rootcode’s mission to build great tech is well underway, and it is gaining traction faster than ever.

This is the first time a Sri Lankan tech company has made a name for itself in the regional competition, and it is a watershed moment that has focused the global spotlight on Rootcode’s distinct approach to fostering innovation in Sri Lanka. This is also the first time that a Sri Lankan company was able to take home two awards of those presented at the SAARC Startup Awards.

Global Startup Awards SAARC celebrates the spirit of entrepreneurship and promotes bridging boundaries through innovation in its regions, which include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, by recognizing them with its most prestigious awards program, attended by top-notch entrepreneurs, corporates, investors, and ecosystem builders from Nordic, Central Europe, SAARC, and ASEAN regions.

Every year, the SAARC Startup Awards bring together hundreds of South Asian startups, entrepreneurs, investors, co-working spaces, and accelerators to provide a platform to highlight trailblazers in the region’s startup world. Rootcode was chosen ahead of dozens of other regional tech startups in the competition.

Sri Lanka is a relative newcomer to the South Asian startup fraternity, and Rootcode’s ability to represent the country on the global stage not long after its inception is remarkable.

“We are extremely humbled and honored by the support shown to us at the SAARC Startup Awards 2022, and being recognized under two categories is a huge milestone for us,” said the CEO and Founder of Rootcode Labs, Alagan Mahalingam. “We have always been driven forward by excellence, collaboration, and integrity, which I believe is the reason why we have come so far and why Rootcode continues to grow every day.”

Rootcode is driven by its focus on helping businesses build great tech not just locally but globally, and its achievement at the SAARC awards stands as a testament to that. Despite the challenging times, this is a win for Sri Lanka.

One of Rootcode’s primary goals is to contribute to Sri Lanka’s economic development by empowering and nurturing the tech ecosystem while taking Sri Lankan ingenuity to the world. “We are happy to have been recognized as a successful startup working to shape a powerful and prosperous Sri Lanka. “Our community is always the driving force behind everything we do, we thank all our team members, customers, partners, and allies that inspire us to keep making a difference. Winning this award was a team effort made possible by our incredible Rootcoders”, said Mangala Perera, COO of Rootcode Labs.

Rootcode, a growing household name in the global tech space, offers innovative solutions to businesses in 29 industries worldwide, assisting them in adapting to the ever-changing realities of business and technology. Its technology has impacted over 79 million people by providing solutions in mobile apps, web apps, data analytics, UI/UX design, machine learning, AI, and cloud. Rootcode continues to grow its workforce of 95 team members to secure its standard of excellence on an international scale.

Rootcode recently launched its new divisions, Rootcode AI, which provides innovative AI solutions to brands, and Rootcode Studio, one of Sri Lanka’s first premium design studios, focusing on end-to-end design. While Rootcode’s products are primarily targeted at markets in Europe, the United States, and Asia, it has a larger vision to expand into diversified markets with a broader range of products and services.

Rootcode has expanded beyond its humble beginnings. Its headquarters is based in Sri Lanka, with corporate offices in Estonia and USA. Rootcode also hopes to expand its capabilities even further in the near future by collaborating with new industries through its new arms.

Rootcode is equipped with the potential to put Sri Lanka on the map of top-tier technological innovation. It provides great skill development and expertise to its workforce and leverages their skills to provide cutting edge solutions for its customers. The wins at SAARC Awards prove Rootcode’s commitment to positioning Sri Lanka as a great innovation hub and show that Rootcode is on its way to making greater things happen in the future.

August 3, 2022

VeChain is a top tier Layer1 blockchain that offers global enterprise solutions

NAIROBI, Kenya, August 2, 2022/APO Group/ —

Crypsense Digital Group (www.Crypsense.io), a Kenyan based Digital Assets Capacity Building & Management Platform is among the first African based Web 3 startups to qualify for the Draper VeChain Web 3 Accelerator Program. A 12 Week Accelerator Program delivered globally to high-growth blockchain companies.

(https://bit.ly/3zMpmJP).

The team pitched together with some of top 15 globally fastest growing Web 3 startups in Crypto, DeFi, NFTs, Metaverse & GameFi to a panel of expert judges from the Web 3 industry from VeChain, Draper University & Cream and was qualified for the program.

Draper University (https://bit.ly/3QbUQyj) a leading pre-accelerator and Incubator in Silicon Valley that fosters growth of high potential technology startups was founded by Timothy Cook Draper, a top tier venture capital investor in the technology space that counts some of the top technology companies such as Tesla, SpaceX, Twitter, Coinbase, Skype, Baidu and many more among his most prominent investments. To date Draper University has graduated > 1000 start up founders and raised >350M$ in early stage funding.

VeChain (www.vechain.org) is a top tier Layer1 blockchain that offers global enterprise solutions and derives its value from activities by members within the ecosystem solving real world economic problems.

Crypsense Digital Group is the first and fastest growing Digital Assets Capacity Building and management Platform in Africa

The collaborative program offers necessary support for startups in blockchain and web 3 to get all the industry mentorship and support necessary to scale their impactful solutions globally.

“This is an amazing opportunity to accelerate Web3 adoption in Africa through the program and partnerships. We have so much untapped talent and potential within our continent in blockchain and Web3. I am excited for Africa and I can’t wait to see where this opportunity takes us,” Alice Anangi, Co-founder & CEO, Crypsense Digital Group

“We understand the potential that blockchain has in solving some of the challenges that are facing Africa and we believe that we can use our disruptive nature as a continent to create value for ourselves through the adoption of the technology,” Added Alice Anangi, Co-founder & CEO, Crypsense Digital Group

Crypsense Digital Group is the first and fastest growing Digital Assets Capacity Building and management Platform in Africa that offers an end to end solution for institutional adoption of blockchain and digital assets in Africa.

The main pillars of the organization are capacity building, asset management and custodial solutions, asset financing and an accelerator launchpad to support blockchain and crypto startups in Africa. The capacity building platform offers a Learn to Earn (L2E) and Play to Earn (P2E) Learning Management System for Blockchain and

Cryptocurrency education that is interactive, easy to understand and makes the learning process fun and rewarding at the same time.

Crypsense Digital Group is a brainchild of The Africa Blockchain Center, one of the startups at Adanian Labs – a venture studio that aims to establish, nurture, and scale 300 impact-driven tech startups across Africa – . The Africa Blockchain Center intends to demystify blockchain technology and establish platforms where businesses may learn, conduct R&D, launch blockchain solutions, and use blockchain as a service for a variety of applications across industries and sectors.

The CEO of Adanian Labs John Kamara said “We are extremely proud to see such progress with our startups. We pride ourselves in providing the right environment, tools and resources to support startups and help them build scalable solutions. Crypsense Digital Group is very timely as Africa is exploring the potential for smart technologies in support of its 4IR efforts.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Crypsense Digital Group.

June 8, 2022

Backed by Delaware-based VC firm Digital Zyndicate, plans to expand service to SA, SEA regions in future

Colombo, Sri Lanka; June 07, 2022: With the sharing economy on the rise in Sri Lanka, Colombo-based start-up Duthaya Digital Services has launched a pilot program for on-demand services, allowing Sri Lankans, who are currently undergoing a severe economic crisis, to complete tasks with extraordinary ease.

The new Android app was released last week. Most chores can be completed in 120 minutes or less, and customers can book and confirm a task in five minutes or less. Booking a messenger (or “Duthaya” in Sinhala) for a specific government service, sending or receiving documents or packages, or a business need can be now done via the app. Duthaya Digital Services has been funded by Digital Zyndicate, a Delaware-based Venture Capital firm, since its inception and now owns a controlling stake in the company.

Duthaya mobile app creates and facilitates an online and mobile marketplace that connects freelance labour with local demand, allowing consumers to find immediate assistance with many on-demand daily tasks, such as waiting in line, applying for banking and government services, and picking up and delivering items from local businesses.

Consumers are actively looking for goods and services that can be purchased with a few clicks on their smartphones or other mobile devices. Other companies in the sharing economy, such as Uber and Grab, also provide a variety of on-demand services, such as courier services and food and item delivery.

Aside from on-demand rollout, some government service task requests are permitted to be postponed for the day and then resumed the next day, so it is not about facilitating one-day service offerings with government services.

Commenting on the company’s investment in Duthaya, one of Digital Zyndicate’s co-founders, Madushka Dias, said, “First, we must recognize the changing environment and change our mindset to act with purpose rather than regret. While most business and political leaders see these times as tumultuous, we see them as a time of incredible opportunity. To succeed, you must play your cards correctly. Duthaya provided us with an ideal opportunity to get into this space because the sharing economy is still growing, and businesses should take note,”

Dias also stated that they would closely assess the success and failures of the pilot program with the management team of Duthaya Digital Services. The Digital Zyndicate will then decide how the same service can be expanded to several South American and Southeast Asian countries in the next few years.

Dias continued, “We started Digital Zyndicate as a seed investment firm with a grand purpose in mind, and with Digital Zyndicate majority ownership, Duthaya could realize even greater opportunities, increasing earning potential, and connecting consumers to a wide range of affordable services.”

According to a spokesperson for Duthaya Digital Services, the company has received over 15000 applications from potential freelancers eager to join as ‘Duthayas,’ often seeking short-term work and projects through the platform, and a significant portion of those applications are to work in Government services. The company will concentrate on providing more and more government services through the Duthaya app because the company believes there is a real nesh market there.

The spokesperson also stated that the company conducts background checks on freelance workers before they are approved and activated to work. They also sign an agreement with Duthaya Digital Services to ensure customer service excellence.

Furthermore, the company states that every potential Duthaya, who offers to do various jobs, will be meeting with someone from their operations team to learn extensively about the company and jobs they have to perform.

April 4, 2022

We represent the product, services, and startup companies of the ICT ecosystem in Sri Lanka. This community is a free and an independent group of industry leaders who deeply value our civil liberties. Sri Lanka’s digital economy represents approximately 4.37% of GDP and this is positioned to grow exponentially in the coming years. We represent the present and future businesses of this country and a growing ecosystem with the potential to attract foreign exchange.

Our concerns:

As a community, we are gravely concerned by the declaration of the state of emergency by his Excellency the President on the night of April 1st, 2022. Our community is of the view that the declaration of state of emergency is not the solution to the present social economic situation. We believe that the right approach is in fact to open a dialogue between the political leadership and the country’s constituents.

Over the past few months our nation has faced extreme difficulties including the lack of power, fuel and basic imports necessary to sustain our lives and livelihoods. But more than facing these hardships, most of this community finds it difficult to defend and justify to its stakeholders that Sri Lanka is a safe environment to build innovative businesses, products and provide continued services at global standards. The current situation sends dangerous signals and in fact many of our community have had to start looking outside of Sri Lanka for the continued delivery of their products and services. The economic impact created by the current situation further compounds the challenges faced by our early-stage companies and will prevent necessary investment and risk capital to come into the country. We beseech the government to repeal the State of Emergency as this is causing more uncertainty amongst our stakeholders.

This ecosystem has developed itself mostly on its own, relying on the support of each other on the values of freedom of expression and collaboration. Hence this ecosystem is firmly committed to protecting people’s basic civil liberties which includes the freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly.

This community for its part is committed to protecting the rights of its constituents and the basic civil liberties we expect of a democratic nation state. We believe that the decisions that affect the country need to be participatory and collaborative with our industry.

What we require from you immediately:

Ensure stability in governance and fiscal management of inflation to provide overall confidence to the ICT community.
Improve decision making by the government to provide the minimum power required for the continuity of our industry and introduce incentives immediately for solar and other renewable energy solutions.
Provide access for startups and small businesses to the minimum dollars required to pay for essential services not available locally.
Remove emergency, curfew, and suppression of citizens’ rights to peacefully protest and or express displeasure of what they are experiencing as severe hardships.
Refrain from blocking access to the internet and all social media sites during states of emergencies that completely deny business for startups who rely on accessing their customers, suppliers and/or produce through these channels.
We require transparency and accountability at all levels of government.

Signed hereby

Harsha Purasinghe	Microimage
Jeevan Gnanam	Veracity/Hatch
Mangala Karunaratne	Calcey Technologies
Lankan Angel Network	Lankan Angel Network
Council for Startups of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce	Council for Startups of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce
Fathhi Mohamed	Dishserve
Chandima Cooray	ayubo.life
Shahani Markus	Emojot
Aloka Gunasekara	Rebel Tusker (Private) Limited
Dinusha Kornkaduwa	Augustory Corp
Eranga Weeraratne	Omobio
Oshadie Korale	XpressJobs
Sanjiva Weerwarana	WSO2
Brindha Selvadurai	Hatch Pvt Ltd
Randhula de Silva	Good Life X
Nathan Sivagananathan	Hatch Pvt Ltd
Rohith Pradeep	SAKS Global
Yohan Wijesiriwardane	PAYable
Mustafa Kassim	Roar Global
Dhanusha Muthukumarana	POTENZA PVT Limited
Raveen Wijayatilake	InGame Esports / Gamer.LK
Alagan Mahalingam	Rootcode Labs
Hasith Yaggahavita	99x
Suresh Tharmarajah	ZILLIONe
Gazzaly	Maxsolpro Pvt Ltd
Hasitha Liyanage	:Different
Dulitha Wijewantha	Cabbage Apps
Sivanathan Pragalathen	Peercore Nexgen (Pvt) Ltd
Nuzhi Meyen	Helios P2P
Jude Kumar	EatMe Global
Eyas Fazul	RHODA
Chameera Wijebandara	LiveRoom (Pvt) Ltd.
Tharindu Malawaraarachchi	Fcode Labs
Theekshana Kumara	VizuaMatix
Jayakrishnan Rajagopalasarma	Arogya Life Systems
Anojan Kaneshathas	Apptimus Tech
Wellington Perera	Virtulink Holdings (Pvt) Ltd.
Upendra Pieris	OREL IT Pvt Ltd
Enosh Praveen	Arteculate Asia
Farhard Hussain	Cemex Software (Pvt) Ltd.
Ziyam Kamil	Cenmetrix (Pvt) Ltd.
Jaikishen Jayesingha	Urbandine
Prashanth Premakumar	Agrithmics (Pvt)Ltd
Prasad Siriwardena	Sterling BPO Solutions Pvt Ltd
Wasaam Ismail	Loops Integrated
Lakshan De Silva	SpectrifyAI
Fairooz Habeeb	Silverleap
Indu Nanayakkara	Impactr.
Ravith Silva	ingenieurskunst PVT ltd
Chathini Uduwana	Typefi Systems
Harsha Abegunasekara	Metana
Sanjaya Ratnayake	Pixel Clear (Pvt ) ltd
Kalinga Gunawardhana	Ceydigital
Roshaan Ranasinghe	Tribefunds
Ajith Pasqual	Paraqum Technologies (Pvt) Ltd
Mohammed Fawaz	Curveup (PVT) LTD
Visharathan Kugamoorthy	Creo 360 (Pvt) Ltd
Prathlosh Paramasivam	Tectera (Pvt) Ltd
Mohammed Mafaz	Show & Tell (Pvt) Ltd
Aabith Sabeer	Simplebooks (Pvt) Ltd
Tharaka De Alwis	Your Team in Asia
Buddhishan Manamperi	Fcode Labs
Shavini Fernando	OxiWear.Inc
Shenali de Silva	Good Life X
Johann De Cruz	BISTEC Global Services Pvt Ltd
Imesh Liyanage	TekSek Cyber Security
Matti Hiob	Atlas Labs
Dhyresh Mendis	The Nescius
Irfan Ahmed	Innovation Quotient
Midushaun Rhodes	Not Another Agency
Tharindu Meepegama	IDawn Technologies
Mary Prabashi Fonseka	Bashi Media
Sabir Esufali	Shopbox
Heminda Jayaweera	venture frontier lanka
Aisha Wahab	Arteculate Asia
Saliya Withana	Enfection
Ziyam Abdeen	WinSYS Networks
Sachin Wickramasinghe	Thyaga
Madushanka Wanigasuriya	Adeona Technologies
Gayantha De Zoysa	Strive
Prasad Samarasinghe	Bellvantage
Andrew Jebaraj	Rocketeer Labs
Shivani A. Tyronne	Miris by Islandmom
Sashini Jinasena	Leo The Label (Pvt) Ltd
Surangi Perera	Island Nation (pvt) Ltd
Ismail sadurdeen	Univiser Pvt Ltd
Manesh Jayawardhana	Ceyentra Technologies
Chamira Prasad Jayasinghe	Arimac Lanka Pvt Ltd
Shavin Peiries	Very Bad Wizards
Bhagya Sandakelum	Blue Fish. lk (Pvt) Ltd
Nuha Ghouse	Tutopiya
Hiranya Samarasekera	CODICE
Wajira Wanigasekera	VSONE
Kaniahka Weeramunda	PayMedia
Sasindu Pathirana	DirectPay
Nelisa Algama	SquareHub
Joey Perera	BoostMetrics
Nimeshanan Kulendra	LearnWare (Pvt) Ltd
Zainab Miskin	Lilac Kukuns – Relationship Wellness Boutique
Jehan Wijesinghe	ProductTavern
Umanda Jayobandara	Ifonix
Kirlosh Warran	Leaap Media (Pvt) Ltd
Sankalpa Gamwarige	Nagarro
Sara Nazoor	ALKE Sri Lanka – Handmade Jewelry
Khalid Anver	Trad X
Oenone Mills	Night Shades Stationery
Shenuka Umagiliya	Balamu Enterprises Ltd
Mangalee Goonetilleke	ReMAtics
Irosha de Silva	CreativeHub
Hansa Wijayausndara	Octopus BI
Damitha Jayarathna	Softcodeit
Sanjaya Elvitigala	eLearning.lk
Roshan Nilaweera	GEC Lanka
Kithmal Warnasooriya	Elysian Crest
John Sriskandarajah	Telexar Technologies
Christiaan Quyn	DataSprig Pvt LTD
Tina Lobo	True
Duminda Dharmadasa
Nithushan Uthayakumar	Blue lotus 360 Pvt LtD
Umavisakan Nathan	Blue Lotus X International Pvt Ltd
Dhanika Perera	PayHere
Alister Joseph	Nova Corp
Suren Pinto	Wavenet International Pvt Ltd
Zulfer Jiffry	PickMe
Lahiru Parhmalal	Takas.lk
Prasad Hettiarachchi	Agaya Holdings (Private) Limited
Tharanga Perera	Sana Commerce Pvt Ltd
Migara Amithodhana	Magicbit
Sumedha Rubasinghe	Entgra (Pvt) Ltd
Sajini Jayawardena	Impactr.
Amjad Nazeer
Joel Damien
Dilanka Asiri	VeracityDev
Rifadh Simshek	Akto Solutions
CD Athuraliya	ConscientAI
Dilshan Kathriarachchi	Half Life
Izzath Bisthamy	Akto Solutions
Isuru prasad	Aeturnum
Abdul Mujeeb	FGC
Thangarajah Thavaruban	Speed IT net
Kevin Sundar Raj	A P T R Development (Pvt) Ltd
Damian Perrin Vanniasinkam	Etenders.lk (Pvt) Ltd
Rumaiza Refai	Urban Colour Junkie
Chaminda Kandamby	Superb Business solutions (pvt)Ltd
Amaar Adamaly	The Effect Sri Lanka
Anjale Jayawardena	The Effect Sri Lanka
Thiyagaraj Somasundaram	EatMe Global
Omar Fatha Rally	Tellida
Nalina Wijesundara	Techlabs Global (Pvt) Ltd
Owin CK	Empire Clothing Club (Pvt) Ltd.
Safiya Sideek	Elements by Safiya
Sahan Ranasinghe	Sanota (Pvt.) Ltd
Anuradha Weeraman	ConceptVines
Amizhthini Nakkeeran	Aze IT Consultancy (Pvt) ltd
Anuruddha Rajapaksha	Serendib Systems
Roshanali Amarasekera	Spark 360 (Pvt) Ltd / Ceylon Organic House
Ijaz Ahamed Ilyas	Royal Sulaiha Holdings
Yusra Aziz Eliyas	Podi Jobs
Ishara Kotagama	Plava Pvt. Ltd.
Newan Vinthusa	Code94 Labs Pvt. Ltd
Anjana Somathilake	Nuclei Technologies (Private) Limited
Ayami Wanasinghe	FI Sri Lanka
Randika Cooray	Lucytech (Pvt)Ltd
Sanna Khaled	Lucytech (Pvt)Ltd

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