April 2017 - Page 2 of 2 - Lanka Business News

April 6, 2017

Startup Genome, in partnership with the Global Entrepreneurship Network, earlier this month released The Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2017 (GSER), a comprehensive look at how regions foster and sustain vibrant startup ecosystems. It reveals how successful tech innovation is being led by young entrepreneurs all over the world. All 55 cities participating in this year’s research were rigorously analyzed based on their performance and eight factors driving startup success: funding, market reach, global connectedness, technical talent, startup experience, resource attraction, corporate involvement, founder ambition and strategy.

This report, which is Startup Genome’s third and most comprehensive effort to date, draws upon the voice of entrepreneurs — with more than 10,000 startup leaders participating — gathered through the efforts of 300 partner organizations. At a time when many regions feel left behind by a startup and innovation economy that has concentrated in super-regions globally, GSER’s data and analysis is intended as a guidepost for helping founders, employers, policymakers and regional leaders to accelerate the growth of their local startup ecosystems.

The ICT Agency of Sri Lanka, which is the apex ICT institution of the Government of Sri Lanka under the Ministry of Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructure spearheaded the initiative to have Sri Lanka included in this global report by assisting Startup Genome in the data collection and other activities related to the report in Sri Lanka.

The report also ranks the top 20 ecosystems around the world based on various factors. The tech startup hub of the world, Silicon Valley maintains its position as the No.1 ecosystem in the world while Singapore has been ranked No.1 in terms of the talent available for startups to use.

Commenting on Sri Lanka, JF Gauthier, co author of the Global Startup Ecosystem Report and CEO of Startup Genome says in the report “I spent my time visiting with two dozen startups about their products and experiences. Many of them displayed impressive levels of innovation”. JF Gauthier was also a keynote speaker at Disrupt Asia 2016 ( www.disruptasia.today ), Sri Lanka’s First Ever Startup Conference and Showcase which was also organized by the ICT Agency of Sri Lanka.

Although, Sri Lanka does not rank among the Top 20 ecosystems in the world, the report brings out many positive facts about the ecosystem. In the analysis about the Sri Lankan ecosystem, the report says that “Sri Lanka does not rank among the top ecosystems in this year’s Index. Due to its infancy, it doesn’t have many output oriented metrics to showcase its progress, but its Early-Stage Funding is growing at one of the fastest rates in the world. And its decent Global Connectedness scores, combined with low cost engineering talent is a bright spot to build around.”

The report further says that the “Sri Lankan startups have the 2nd fastest Time to Hire an Engineer, with a median of 20 days. The Asia-Pacific median is 35 days. Sri Lanka [also] has the 3rd highest percentage of founders with an undergraduate degree at 60%.”

“The startup ecosystem in Sri Lanka has seen a significant growth since 2015, igniting the wave for digital innovation. The Government and the industry have jointly taken the initiative of driving the development of the ecosystem. It is self evolving and matures on a daily basis fostering the culture that is required for the Digital Economy.” said Muhunthan Canagey, CEO and Managing Director of the ICT Agency of Sri Lanka giving his comments to the report.

The report is now available for download at https://startupgenome.com/ for free.

Startup Genome’s mission is to empower cities all over the world to capture their fair share of the new economy by accelerating the economic growth of startup ecosystems through benchmarking, networking, and exposure. Fueled by primary research with 10,000+ startups annually–the voice of entrepreneurs–Startup Genome supports local ecosystem leaders with building consensus for action on key challenges.

The ICT Agency of Sri Lanka has been at the forefront of building the technology startup ecosystem of the country by carrying out various activities benefitting the startup ecosystem of the country. Being one of the first to start an accelerator for startups in the country with the Spiralation (www.spiralation.com) Seed Funding Initiative, the program now expanded to include various other support mechanisms for startups, entrepreneurs, students etc.

April 5, 2017

Brush manufacturer and exporter of sanitary maintenance tools, B P P L Holdings Limited (BPPL) rang the opening bell to commence trading and celebrate the listing of its shares on the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) today.

Chairman Mr. Sarath Amarasinghe, Managing Director Dr. Anush Amarasinghe and members of the Board of Directors and Senior Management of BPPL were present at the ceremony, which was also attended by senior representatives of CT CLSA Capital which managed the IPO process for BPPL. CSE Chairman Mr. Vajira Kulatilaka, CSE Director Mr. M. R. Prelis, CSE CEO Mr. Rajeeva Bandaranaike and the Senior Management of CSE were also present at the event.

The CSE Chairman Mr. Vajira Kulatilaka welcomed BPPL to the stock market and urged the company to embrace the added responsibility that comes with operating as a publicly listed company, including protecting the rights and interests of minority shareholders. He went on to pinpoint the manufacturing sector as an important growth driver for the country going forward and said “I don’t think Sri Lanka can leapfrog our competition and reach an improved stage of growth without the manufacturing sector. Such growth should be backed by a strong manufacturing base”. Mr. Kulatilaka in that context noted the addition of BPPL to the list of manufacturing companies traded on the CSE as an encouraging development.

Speaking on behalf of BPPL, Managing Director Dr. Anush Amarasinghe thanked the new BPPL shareholders for the trust placed in the company and expressed his appreciation to the board of directors and the company’s employees for their efforts over the years. “This is just the beginning, our future prospects are extremely bright. We are engaged in an industry with tremendous potential and will continue to strive ahead in a way that will help create further potential. We will uphold the confidence placed in us, with each step, adding greater value and contributing to the benefits of all our stakeholders” Dr. Amarasinghe added.

BPPL is one of Sri Lanka’s largest brush manufacturers and exporters of sanitary maintenance tools customized for household, professional, commercial and industrial cleaning applications. With over 30 years of brush-ware manufacturing and marketing experience, the company is among the top OEM brush makers in the world.

April 5, 2017

Neck (cervical) and back (lumbar) pain are problems for many people. In fact, majority of the Sri Lankan population have experienced some form of back pain, and cope with neck pain at some point in their lives. Often caused by degeneration of the discs that separate the vertebrae of the spine, this type of pain is among the most common reasons for doctor visits and is a major cause of disability, lost work days and high health care costs.

As one of the primary designated comprehensive neurosurgical spine care center in Sri Lanka, Durdans provides comprehensive recovery experience for neck and back pain. Supported by a large and most experienced pool of neurosurgeons, highly-trained support staff, state-of-the-art technology and with reasonable hospital charges, Durdans make sure that every patient has access to the most advanced treatments needed and gets the comprehensive care they need at an affordable cost.

According to Dr. Nilaksha Kumarasinghe, Consultant Neurosurgeon at Durdans, “The neurosurgical spine care at Durdans specializes in neurosurgical treatment of the entire spectrum of spine disorders, providing services from diagnosis through surgery and rehabilitation. Neurosurgical evaluation of neck and back pain, nerve compression syndromes, herniated intervertebral discs, and spinal cord compression syndromes. Patients may come to the Durdans neurosurgical spine care for a consultation or a second opinion or for all of their treatments.”

Durdans neurosurgical spine care has been established to provide timely out-patient consultation for patients with neurosurgical evaluation of neck and back pain. Patients with routine or complicated spinal disc syndromes as well as undiagnosed neurological problems related to the spine will be evaluated. This will include cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spondylitic disorders with or without nerve root compression, spinal cord compression, herniated intervertebral discs, spinal cord tumors, syringomyelia, or other congenital spine disorders.

“This type of highly specialized neurosurgical spine care is not common outside Durdans,” says Dr. Stravinsky Perera, Consultant Neurosurgeon at Durdans. “Patients receive intensive monitoring, and around-the-clock care from a team of clinicians from neurosurgery, neurology, trauma, radiology, anesthesiology, nutrition, pharmacology, physical therapy, and dedicated one-on-one nursing care. Patients may be referred for consultation only, care in partnership with referring physician, or complete management.”

April 4, 2017

From egg-centric Easter brunches to gourmet Easter treats, the Bojunhala, Gimanhala, and Ulpatha restaurants will be the perfect place to bring family and friends to celebrate the Easter holiday. The Bojunhala will host an Easter brunch buffet on April 16th featuring dishes such as rotisserie leg of lamb, chilled ratatouille with poached eggs, pâté en croute with hard-boiled eggs, hot cross buns and a selection of delectable desserts like peach pana cotta and coconut crème brûlée. The brunch will take place from 12:30pm to 3:30 pm and will cost LKR 4,000 per person.

The Gimanhala will host an Easter Twilight on April 16th and 17th from 4pm to 6pm. It will be priced at LKR 8,000 and also include a bottle of wine. The Ulpatha will host an Easter BBQ — priced at LKR 18,500 per couple — on April 16th and 17th from 6pm to 11pm.

On this day of celebration, the Cool Zone will feature plenty of activities to keep younger guests happy such as egg painting, arts and craft, face painting, and an egg hunt. Furthermore, CHI — the Ayurveda Spa at Shangri-La’s Hambantota Resort & Spa — will offer an ‘Easter Precious’ 45-minute stress relief back massage and a chocolate dip wrap for LKR 15,500.

About Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts

Hong Kong-based Shangri-La International Hotel Management Limited, one of the world’s premier hotel management companies, currently operates over 95 hotels in 22 countries and 73 destinations under the Shangri-La, Kerry, Hotel Jen and Traders brands. Prominently positioned in Asia, the group has established its brand hallmark of “hospitality from the heart” over four decades in Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Europe, North America and the Indian Ocean. The group has a substantial development pipeline with upcoming projects in mainland China, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka.

April 4, 2017

Harpic will sponsor the construction of 300 toilets across the island, in a program lead by the Ministry of City Planning & Water Supply. The initiative aims to improve Sri Lanka’s access to proper sanitation facilities at the residential and public level. World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that two million people remain without access to proper sanitation facilities and could still be practicing open defecation in waterways and in forest areas.

The first phase of the project was recently launched by Hon. SudarshaniFernandopulle, State Minister of City Planning & Water Supply at the Peellawatta David De Silva Vidyalaya – Katunayakeand will see the construction of 100 toilets.

April 4, 2017

As preparations get underway to celebrate another Sinhala and Tamil New Year, Sri Lanka’s leading healthcare provider Hemas Hospitals is bringing great value in this festive season with a unique Avurudu promotion. Paving the way to raise awareness for senior members of your family on being healthy, the special health screening package from Hemas is the best Avurudu gift you can present to your parents, grandparents or any elderly relation of your family.

The health check package includes fasting blood sugar and HbA1c tests to closely examine symptoms for Diabetes, lipid profile test to measure the amount of cholesterol and triglycerides, calculation of Body Mass Index (BMI) and blood pressure count. The package will also offer doctor examinations where patients will receive expert advice from in-house doctors on improving health and taking precautionary measures for non-communal diseases like diabetes, cholesterol and high blood pressure. Hemas Hospitals is introducing this package for a highly-affordable price of Rs. 2100. This promotion will be on offer throughout the month of April.

Commenting on this special Avurudu promotion, Managing Director of Hemas Hospitals, Dr Lakith Peiris said, “Hemas Hospitals has always kept its promise of adding value to our customers by delivering greater service through a number of promotions. Our latest Avurudu promotion does not only speak of the importance of staying fit and healthy but also provides an opportunity for you to look after the health of your senior family members. While significantly enhancing the benefits we are already offering, this promotion makes it the perfect gift to have when you visit your parents or grandparents on the day of the Avurudu.”

About Hemas Hospitals: Hemas Hospitals (Pvt) Ltd is a subsidiary of Hemas Group, a leading Sri Lankan conglomerate that has business interests in four key sectors – FMCG, Healthcare, Transportation, Leisure and Strategic Investments.

The multi-specialty hospital chain comprises of 3 full-service hospitals at Wattala, Galle and Thalawathugoda along with15 fully equipped laboratories and provides community-based expert health care services by positioning its chain of hospitals in strategic locations outside the commercial hub of Colombo. It guarantees patients the highest safety standards backed by full international accreditation and was the first hospital in Sri Lanka to be recognized by the prestigious accreditation body, Australian Council for Healthcare Standards.

April 4, 2017

George Steuart Health recently launched the world’s first biosimilar known as Remsima (Infliximab), approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency. The launch was held at the Cinnamon Grand Colombo recently and was attended by key opinion leaders representing vital segments of the medical industry including Rheumatology, Gastroenterology and Dermatology.

George Steuart Health, which prides itself on delivering innovative healthcare solutions, tied up with Celltrion Healthcare in Korea to introduce the product to the Sri Lankan Market. Celltrion Healthcare is a center for excellence for innovative biologics with the largest mAb (monoclonal antibodies) production facility in Asia and an extensive global network spanning across 120 countries.

Commenting on the significance of the launch, Eran Ranasinghe – Executive Director of George Steuart Health said, “We have successfully established a new era in the medical field of Sri Lanka. It is a significant milestone in the history of George Steuart Health, which stands committed to delivering only the best healthcare solutions at the most affordable prices.” Partnering with over 40 acclaimed manufacturing entities worldwide, the company now represents more than 400 quality products that cater to the wellbeing of Sri Lankans.

Guest Speaker at the event, Dr. Nam Lee, Head of the Medical Liaison Team at Celltrion spoke on the Clinical Evidence of Biosimilars, highlighting the differences between Biosmilars and other biologicals. She proceeded to explain the equivalence study comparing Remsima and the reference medical product in patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis and Rheumatoid Arthritis. Dr. Rishi Goel, consultant in Gastroenterology at the Kingston Hospital (London) shared his experience of real world cases on switching to Remsima from the RMP. Senior Consultant and Head of Research, Department of Gastroenterology, Akershus University Hospital (Norway) Prof. Jorgen Jahnsen also shared his experience on the successful use of Remsima on patients with IBD, Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.

Remsima is the world’s first monoclonal antibody approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency. It contains biosimilar infliximab as a powder concentrate for solution as well as infusion and has revolutionized the management of debilitating autoimmune diseases at a considerably lower cost. The product is indicated for use in Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crohn’s Disease, Ankylosing Spondylitis and Ulcerative Colitis.

George Steuart Health is one of Sri Lanka’s premier healthcare and wellness solution providers and is a member of the George Steuart Group; Sri Lanka’s oldest mercantile establishment and a leading diversified conglomerate.

April 3, 2017

Discover the culture-packed island of Sri Lanka on a rickshaw.

Imagine being able to tell your mates that you travelled 1,000km around Sri Lanka. In a rickshaw. A rickshaw that you drove. That, friends, is the Lanka Challenge rickshaw adventure: the ultimate road trip for those who like their travel fully-charged and no-holds-barred. Each day you’ll wake up, be told where you need to be by sundown, and get handed a list of challenges to complete along the way – the completion of which will see your team accrue points. The rest is up to you, you big legend.

Questions you will be forced to ask yourself during the Lanka Challenge include: Who’s going to go and get a photo of that crocodile? Who’s going to get us invited to a local’s place for lunch? Who’s going to take one for the team in the chilli-eating challenge? What day is it? And where did I put my Imodium? One hell of an amazing time is guaranteed. Life-changing experiences are probable. Navigational stupidity is optional.

Schedule :

September 2017 : Southern route – 8th to 17th (Team of 2 or 3 people)
April 2018 : Northern route – 7th to 16th(Team of 2 or 3 people)

April 1, 2017

Explore Sri Lanka, the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean”!

With the 4th Asia Pacific Choir Games 2017 being prepared for Colombo, Sri Lanka, INTERKULTUR is eager to explore a new cultural area and tradition, since this is the very first time that an INTERKULTUR event is going to be held in South Asia.

Thousands of participants from a host of competing nations will perform in a variety of venues, turning Colombo into a hub for Asia-Pacific choral music. The invitation to this unique event goes not only to choirs from the Asia-Pacific region, but also to ensembles from all around the globe, all of whom will surely find a platform to participate.

The event is based on a comprehensive and deliberate pedagogical concept and will thus offer to all interested participants various workshops and seminars held by some of the best international experts! So, roll up your sleeves and get ready to expand your mind and soul!

As for Sri Lanka, there is something to experience for everyone: culture and archeology enthusiasts will find world heritage sites of gigantic proportions and Buddhist and Hinduist Temples; nature and animal lovers can observe wild animals such as elephants, leopards, flamingos and whales up close.

This event invites all non-professional choirs of the world to participate, offering fair and realistic competition to experienced competitive choirs as well as to choirs with relatively little international experience. The 4th Asia Pacific Choir Games combined with the Grand Prix of Nations Colombo 2017 offers the Open Competition, the Asia Pacific Champions Competition and the Grand Prix of Nations Colombo 2017. These three competitions allow choirs the opportunity to participate at the appropriate level an even to qualify for the higher levels.

Choirs that do not want to participate in the competitions have the chance to perform with choirs from around the world in Friendship Concerts, in an international Festival Stage Choir or to be evaluated and learn from respected international conductors.

Newer Posts

Sri Lanka bench-marked among 55 ecosystems in the global startup ecosystem report 2017

B P P L Holdings Limited makes CSE debut

Durdans Providing Full Spectrum of Neurosurgical Spine Care for Neck and Back Pain

The First Easter Celebration at Shangri-La’s Hambantota Resort & Spa

Harpic Pushes for 100% access to Sanitation

Hemas Hospitals promotes family wellness, along with the tradition of respecting your elders during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year

George Steuart Health partners with Celltrion Healthcare to launch first ever Biosimilar in Sri Lanka

Lanka Challenge – The world’s greatest tuk tuk road trip – Sep 8-17, 2017

Discover the culture-packed island of Sri Lanka on a rickshaw.

Schedule :

The Asia Pacific Choir Games – October 21 – 28, 2017 Colombo, Sri Lanka

Explore Sri Lanka, the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean”!