Start-ups to drive exports from Sri Lanka
View(s):Sri Lanka is no more a low cost country and anybody exporting from Sri Lanka has to be innovative and add value to their products than their competitors.
“We need a completely different mindset in terms of entrepreneurship. We are focusing on new enterprises on start-ups but it is not limited to that,” Chairman of the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) Prof. Rohan Samarajiva said at the launch of the “Disrupt Asia 2018” held at the JAIC Hilton Hotel Colombo on Tuesday.
The event was organised by ICTA to promote entrepreneurship and start-ups among Sri Lankans to boost economic development. Disrupt Asia 2018 will be held on August 11 at the Trace–Export City Colombo from 4 pm to midnight. Prof. Samarajiva said the National Export Strategy document was launched recently by the government to boost exports from Sri Lanka owing to the decline of exports over the past few years. He said where IT was concerned one has to think bigger than limiting it to the 21 million Sri Lankan market and go beyond that.
Disrupt Asia 2018 is not a trade show but a show where people gather around to exchange ideas and network each other. Referring to disabled people he said the idea was to help them to lead better lives with the help of modern IT. The event is also supported by the Ministry of Telecommunication, Digital Infrastructure and Foreign Employment.
ICTA’s Programme Manager Sachindra Samararatne said Disrupt Asia 2018, the event and festival, has been organised this time to make it accessible for all to attend. He said resource people from the US, Netherlands, UK and India and others from South Eastern counties are expected to attend the event.
Experts in the field of Artificial Intelligence and education are expected to participate. He said apart from the main conference, an Investment Forum will be held exclusively for professionals who wish to invest in technological start-ups. The winner of Disrupt Asia will have a chance to visit the Oslo Innovation festival.