Colombo, Sri Lanka – 03 June 2025— Uber Eats, Sri Lanka’s leading delivery app for ordering food, groceries, and more, today marked a new milestone in its mission to empower small businesses in Sri Lanka. 40 merchant partners on the Uber Eats platform graduated with a Diploma in Business Management from UNITAR International University, Malaysia, delivered in collaboration with the Institute of Governance and Compliance (IGC). The education program was sponsored by Uber Eats to give the merchant partners a deeper understanding of business strategy, financial planning, marketing, and leadership that will help grow and improve their businesses.
Hon’ble Deputy Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development, Chathuranga Abeysinghei, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest, and was joined by Samadhie Bandara, CEO & Executive Vice President, IGC; and Varun Wijewardana, Country Manager – Delivery, Uber Eats – Sri Lanka.
Hon’ble Deputy Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development, Chathuranga Abeysinghe said,
“Empowering small businesses with education is one of the most sustainable ways to drive economic growth and job creation in Sri Lanka. I commend Uber Eats for investing in our local entrepreneurs and helping equip them with the tools they need to succeed in a rapidly evolving marketplace. Initiatives like these strengthen not just individual businesses, but entire communities.”
Varun Wijewardana, Country Manager – Uber Eats, Sri Lanka, said, “At Uber, we recognize the transformative power of continued learning. This initiative reflects our belief in education as a catalyst for empowering entrepreneurs and uplifting small businesses. By equipping our merchant partners with essential business knowledge, we are laying a strong foundation for their long-term success and sustainable growth.”
This executive education program builds upon Uber’s ongoing efforts to support local entrepreneurs. Previous initiatives include the Uber Springboard program – providing mentorship to selected start-ups, and the Uber Entrepreneurship Challenge, which celebrated and supported innovation with ideas from merchant partners and couriers.
Since its entry into Sri Lanka in 2018, Uber Eats has continued to expand its offerings and geographical footprint in Sri Lanka, emerging as the country’s go-to delivery platform. Earlier this month, Uber Eats expanded operations to Anuradhapura. In February, Uber Eats expanded to Matara, Weligama, and Mirissa, strengthening its footprint along the Southern Coast after adding Koggala, Talpe, and Ahangama in December 2024.
