‘Sri Lankan entrepreneurs have the potential to be world class’

H.D.H Senewiratne

Dr Wijayasuriya

Sri Lanka's IT entrepreneurs have the nrcessary potential to be world class, as they have the ability in value addition to their businesses, talent potentials and innovations. But the issue is that they lack the capital to move forward, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC), ICT Steering Committee Chairman, Dr Hans Wijayasuriya said.

“If we could support the local IT entrepreneurs to build the capacity, we could enhance the country’s competitiveness from medium to a long term perspective,” Dr Wijayasuriya said at the Spark iT Awards ceremony, where awarded Rupees one to four million IT entrepreneurs were awarded to initiate platforms to empower ICT entrepreneurial development throughout Sri Lanka. The event was organised by the CCC, together with the ICC - ICT Steering Committee.

Commenting on the occasion, he said that ICT entrepreneurs have been most encouraging in Sri Lanka which would help to create value addition to business and in turn, help build the country’s competitiveness in the long run.

 

Dr Wijayasuriya said that the Spark iT Programme had been designed to provide winners with start up funding in the form of investment awards from blue chip corporate, which would fulfill the Chambers’ objectives, the competitiveness in the sector and also the country.

CCC's Vice President Suresh Sha said that presently, business entities faced obstacles, but if we were smart enough, without given up, we could be successful.

During the event, the CCC awarded the four grand finalists of the Spark iT ICT entrepreneurs development initiative at a recent concluded event. The winning submission selected was, Atiral, Ridgecrest Asia-AutisLK, Search Sri Lanka Portal and TopDocOpinions, while each winning start up were awarded Rs one million to fund their project's development.

Ten fianalists were short listed from over 60 applicatnts in which four grand finalists were selected for the Spark iT grant by a panel of industry and sector specialists.

Source :dailynews.lk