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September 6, 2021

Startups are all about innovation, disrupting the existing system, creativity and solving problems. In a world turned upside down with the ongoing pandemic, the need for innovation is more than ever before to help the Sri Lankan economy recover. Techstars Startup Weekend is the perfect catalyst for innovative thinkers and people that want to learn about entrepreneurship to gather together and create effective solutions. With this in mind, the Old Boys’ Association of Zahira College is organising a Startup Weekend. This is a free online event on Sep 10th-12th that is open to all members of the public. Anyone interested can find out more information and register through the web link https://tinyurl.com/uxm5esaz

Techstars Startup Weekend Zahira Colombo Online is a three-day programme where aspiring entrepreneurs can experience what it’s like to create a startup in 54 hours. The platinum sponsor of the event is Bristol Institute. During the event, participants will have the chance of meeting some of the very best mentors for early-stage entrepreneurs, investors, and startup co-founders. Over the years, several Startup Weekends have taken place across various locations in Sri Lanka, such as Jaffna, Colombo, Trincomalee, Kandy, Galle, and more, with Zahira College being the latest organiser of such an event.

Fathhi Mohammed, a principal organizer of Startup Weekend Zahira stated, “Business landscape is changing in a rapid space due to digitalisation. Despite these changes, especially local businesses and entrepreneurs lack an understanding of the process of digitalisation.” With the upcoming Startup Weekend, The Old Boys’ Association of Zahira College hopes to find solutions to bridge this gap and inspire young entrepreneurs to pursue their startup ventures. By providing them with the exposure that comes with such a programme, the hope is that these individuals and groups might support the nation’s economic growth.

To understand what happens at a Startup Weekend, it all begins on a Friday evening where participants meet fellow innovators, pitch ideas, and form teams. On Saturday, with the support of mentors and facilitators, they work towards building a prototype product. Finally, on Sunday, they pitch their prototype products to a panel of judges and a winner is decided. Through the hard work of the organising committee, the event has been modified to accommodate a virtual format in light of the pandemic, while still offering the invaluable learning’s of the entrepreneurial experience.

Over the course of 54 hours, participants of Startup Weekend Zahira will have the opportunity to not only connect with like-minded individuals through the team-building process but also learn from some of Sri Lanka’s innovative thinkers who disrupted their respective industries, such as the main guest speaker for the event Bhatiya Jayakody, who will be imparting his wisdom with the aspiring entrepreneurs.

“We are thankful to the OBA of Zahira College and Bristol Institute for their generous support that will enable future entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka to receive this excellent experiential learning opportunity from Techstars Startup Weekend,” added Ayami Wanasinghe, Community Leader, Techstars Startup Weekend and a principal organiser of Startup Weekend events in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Startup Weekend is for innovative thinkers to come together, create new ideas, and use what they learnt to build world-class businesses. Some examples include Zapier (US), Carousell (Singapore) and Agenda Edu (Brazil). Startup Weekend Zahira will be held with similar ambitions, to find the young minds or experienced professionals who can drive the economy forward with their disruptive thinking. Everyone is welcome to attend and participate in the programme. All those interested can register through the web link https://tinyurl.com/uxm5esaz

September 6, 2021

As industries have grown and evolved into the digital era and the movement to online ecosystems, with the Internet of Things (IoT) contributing to the generation and accumulation of mass amounts of data that need to be analysed to make informed decisions in organizations, the market for data-centric jobs have skyrocketed and are projected to add 85 million new jobs globally.

The requirement of the Sri Lankan market is predicted to be over 5,000 data scientists within the next 5 years. With the aim of fulfilling this critical requirement the Sri Lanka Technological Campus (SLTC), renowned for being a pioneer in modern and timely education solutions, recently unveiled its latest higher education degree, the Data Analyst Program by Masters Corporate Education in partnership with Wawiwa Tech Training Israel.

The new data analyst program is set to empower and uplift the skillset of business professionals to combine data analytics with their respective domain knowledge, be it marketing, finance, HR or any other, and to give them the ability to derive high value insights from data.

To introduce the program, SLTC recently hosted a virtual open day, moderated by Nuwan Dishan the Lead of Masters Corporate Education, with the participation of CEO of Wawiwa Tech Training Mr. Eran Lasser, Head of Data Analyst Program at Wawiwa Tech, Talia Morchi and Program Trainer Dileepa Samayawardena, Senior Data Evangelist at MAS, an experienced professional who has supported the organization in improving processes and key indicators of manufacturing and has develop it’s organizational level strategies with enhanced with data insights and forecasting.

The first cohort of the Data Analyst program spans 10 months, being conducted using a blended approach, to facilitate students and educators in line with prevailing pandemic restrictions. Those who will register for the first intake receive a promotional introductory fee of Rs. 150,000 for the entire course, which can be paid in two instalments.

Speaking at the inauguration on the importance of data centric jobs Mr. Nuwan Dishan said, “all aspects of our lives will be monitored, controlled and managed by data going forward. Therefore data will be the real competitive advantage for any business and will be a force to be reckoned with. Having almost all industries trying to leverage its potential, this number will only continue to increase as data science becomes more reliable and cost-effective.”

CEO of Wawiwa Tech Mr. Eran Lasser added, we work all around the world, having activities in Romania, Poland, Ukraine, Singapore, Australia and more. Israel is the start-up nation for the world. Even though it has a population of only 9 million people, there are over 18,000 start-ups. We also have the number 1 ratio for R&D employees and Tech employees in the world, with around 10% of or workforce working in tech,”

Head of Data Analyst Program at Wawiwa Tech, Talia Morchi speaking on the curriculum explained that the programme will develop skills such as critical thinking, analysing, problem solving and presentation skills while covering key concepts is data analysis such as ETL (Extract Transform Load), Exploratory Data Analysis and Data Visualisation, as well as the knowledge and practise for using technologies such as MS SQL, Anaconda, Python, Power BI and MS Excel, data visualisation and coding skills along with a final project.

A unique aspect of the program is that whilst designed to allow learners to dive deep into the subject matter, the program does not require previous exposure to tech education, as the intention of the program is to be practical and project driven. As such, currently 30 Non Tech professionals already signed up for the program are set to graduate as Data Analysts by the end of the 10 months with in depth hands-on experience.

Given the advancements in the field of data analytics and its growing importance on a global scale, the advent of this program is poised to be a critical knowledge builder for Sri Lanka’s business community, in utilizing data driven approaches to their organizational operations.

August 4, 2021

CENTRAL PARK JA-ELA – Model house open for aspiring home owners

Central Park Ja-Ela by Kelsey Homes

Gated Development consisting of housing units and Apartments with 40+ Amenities.
Model house ready for inspection for aspiring homeowners
Over 70% sold
Houses priced from Rs.16.9Mn upwards
Ja-Ela is Central to Everything.
Live Modernity in Nature…

Kelsey Homes, Sri Lanka’s pioneering real estate developer, is now set to launch Phase Three of the iconic gated residential project, CENTRAL PARK JA-ELA, following the successful completion of Phases One and Two. Offering 350+ residential units and 40+ Amenities, CENTRAL PARK JA-ELA is one of the largest gated mixed-housing projects in Sri Lanka.

The unprecedented success of Phases One and Two at CENTRAL PARK JA-ELA, with over 70% sold within a record time amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, is an incredible achievement.

Central to everything, CENTRAL PARK JA-ELA is in close proximity to leading schools, hospitals, banks and supermarkets and just minutes away from the Colombo city (30 minutes), Katunayake Airport (20 minutes) and the upcoming ‘Port City’ via the Port Access Elevated Highway (30 minutes). With convenient ease of access to the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway and 500m to the Colombo-Negombo main road CENTRAL PARK JA-ELA is seen as a unique value for money proposition. Furthermore, the appreciation of the property by over 20% within 12 months of the launch, has made it highly lucrative as an investment to buyers.

Commenting on the success of the project, Chairman of Kelsey Development PLC, Eardley Perera stated, “CENTRAL PARK JA-ELA is one of the largest gated, mixed residential projects in Sri Lanka and we are thankful to our buyers for the trust and confidence placed in us, even during these most challenging of times. Kelsey Homes have been a key stakeholder and leader in the local housing market for over 35 years and we pride ourselves in maintaining an outstanding track record of building iconic, quality residential facilities that blend luxury with affordability for our many satisfied customers.”

With the launch of Phase Three, CENTRAL PARK JA-ELA is now able to showcase a model house for the public to experience their future. Kelsey offers spaciously curated two-, three- and four-bedroom housing units priced from Rs 16. 9 million.

Sprawled across 15 acres of lush greenery in Ja-Ela, CENTRAL PARK provides luxury living spaces interspersed with an array of unparalleled services, utilities, and modern conveniences for comfortable, hassle-free living; including 24-hour security, CCTV surveillance, a mini-market, ATM facility, salon, business centre, medical centre, day-care centre, laundry service, driver’s and maid’s quarters, vehicle charging station and washing bay.

Keep active at the comfort of the home environment with the outdoor and indoor gymnasium, swimming pool, basketball court, jogging track, yoga and wellness centre or, entertain guests in a variety of settings; be it the roof terrace area, outdoor BBQ area, open function hall, pavilion or club house. The children can also have endless fun at the specially designed kid’s indoor play area, kiddies pool and outdoor play zone.

“We’ve created an extraordinary gated residential facility at CENTRAL PARK JA-ELA and the demand for it has been unprecedented since day one. CENTRAL PARK JA-ELA is the perfect balance between embracing modernity while living amidst nature and, we are excited to launch Phase Three of the project and help aspiring homeowners find their perfect home with us. Backed by the strength of our parent company, Janashakthi Group, we are well poised for sustained growth as we forge ahead and continue to transform the real estate industry to better serve our customers and communities” comments Chief Executive Officer of Kelsey Developments PLC, Lalinda Kalubowila.

Visit CENTRAL PARK JA-ELA, from the comfort of your home on https://www.kelsey.lk/central-park and call on 0770773773 to plan your visit to the site.

July 7, 2021

To obtain a better experience of Working from Home, Fitness & Health Management and Entertainment for Consumers

Huawei Consumer Business Group recently announced the launch of six new flagship products, including HUAWEI nova 8i smartphone, HUAWEI MatePad series tablets（MatePad Pro 12.6-inch, HUAWEI MatePad Pro 10.8-inch, and HUAWEI MatePad 11), HUAWEI Watch 3 series smartwatch, HUAWEI FreeBuds 4, a next-generation open-fit Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) wireless Bluetooth earbuds, two high-end monitors: HUAWEI MateView and MateView GT.

The HUAWEI MatePad series tablets and HUAWEI Watch 3 series smartwatches are the first Huawei smart devices powered by HarmonyOS 2. With the distributed data management and distributed task scheduling capabilities of HarmonyOS, the HUAWEI Watch 3 and HUAWEI MatePad Pro can efficiently work together with other intelligent devices such as smartphones, PCs and monitors, etc. It is apparently providing the better work from home, fitness & health management and entertainment experience for consumers.

Alex Lin, President of Huawei Consumer Business Group APAC, said: “Huawei will continue to provide more powerful smart devices, and strive for bringing the more perfect, richer and comprehensive smart life experience in all scenarios to the consumers in the APAC region.”

As a tablet powered by HarmonyOS 2, the HUAWEI MatePad series can work with Huawei PCs and HUAWEI MateView for multi-screen collaboration. The tablet can become a drawing sketch pad in Mirror mode and a monitor in Extend mode. It also supports cross-device file dragging and transferring, providing a more efficient and collaborative multi-device experience.

The new MatePad series includes the HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.6-inch, HUAWEI MatePad Pro 10.8-inch, and HUAWEI MatePad 11. HUAWEI MatePad Pro 12.6/10.8 are equipped with a gorgeous bezel-less screen, with a 90% screen-to-body ratio, the highest in the world. The HUAWEI MatePad 11 is Huawei’s first tablet to support 120Hz screen refresh rate, bringing a smoother visual experience for gaming and video watching. With the HUAWEI M-Pencil (2^nd generation), The new HUAWEI Smart Magnetic Keyboard and a Bluetooth wireless mouse, the HUAWEI MatePad series will give consumers a PC-like productivity & creativity using experience.

The HUAWEI MateView is designed for smart office scenarios and features professional color display performance. It is a pro-grade standalone monitor featuring a 28.2-inch 3:2 panel that supports a high resolution of 3840 × 2560, delivering a premium viewing experience to present every single details on the screen. In addition, HUAWEI MateView can be connected with smartphones, laptops, and tablets wirelessly. It also supports the keyboard and mouse control function. The keyboard and mouse can be connected to a monitor to control other devices such as laptops and mobile phones in another way round, greatly improving the working efficiency of consumers.

The HUAWEI WATCH 3 Series, a new flagship smartwatch, supports independent communication. The HUAWEI WATCH 3 Series also allows you to make phone calls and listen to music using the same phone number and data plan as your smartphone. Featuring a curved glass screen and 316L stainless steel case, this stylish watch comes with a brand-new 3D rotating crown that senses different levels of pressure and provides haptic feedback in response, making the watch comfortable to wear and easy to operate.

Meanwhile, the HUAWEI WATCH 3 Series is your personal fitness and health management assistant. The HUAWEI WATCH 3 Series serves as a professional fitness & health manager that supports more than 100 workout modes. In addition to a broad range of healthcare monitoring function for reference, the watch can now monitor skin temperature with a new, high-precision temperature sensor. It also supports fall detection and SOS functions so users can supervise and manage their health data in real time.

The HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 not only improves air like comfort wearing and active noise reduction abilities, but also delivers high resolution sound quality and intelligent audio connectivity. To enhance noise cancellation effectively across different wearing scenarios, HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 use Adaptive Ear Matching (AEM) noise cancellation technology and are the first open-fit earbuds in the industry to do so. In terms of sound quality, the HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 use a Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP) composite diaphragm, which can delivering high resolution sound quality.

In addition, The HUAWEI MateView GT is Huawei’s first curved monitor that perfectly fits gaming and e-sports scenarios. It features a 34-inch 165 Hz curved screen with a screen ratio of 21:9 and a resolution of 3440 × 1440. It also incorporates innovative designs such as the SoundBar.

The latest smartphone from HUAWEI is the HUAWEI nova 8i which is both powerful and stylish. The HUAWEI nova 8i has a slim body and perfectly body ratio. It is equipped with a 6.67-inch Huawei bezel-less screen. The rear quad camera system, including the 64MP high-resolution main camera, provides one of the best photography experiences. In addition, the HUAWEI nova 8i also supports 66W HUAWEI SuperCharge, which takes only 38 minutes to fully charge the smartphone.

All these products will soon be available to purchase from all Huawei experience centers, island wide Singer showrooms, authorised resellers, Daraz.lk and Singer.lk.

Techstars Startup Weekend Zahira Colombo Online Launches

Masters Corporate Education successfully launches globally renowned Data Analyst Program

Kelsey Homes launches the 3rd phase of its Largest Mixed Housing Project

Huawei launches Six New Flagship products including a smartphone, tablet series, smartwatch, TWS Earbuds and high-end monitors