Gamata Tech opens avenues for SL youth entrepreneurs
View(s):Gamata Technology, an accelerator platform initiated by youth-tech entrepreneurs covering every corner of Sri Lanka, was officially launched recently at a ceremony held at the Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre in Colombo.
The event was attended by young entrepreneurs, leading tech companies, renowned personalities and others covering 19 districts in Sri Lanka, the organisation said in a media release.
“The concept of Gamata Tech was build based on a research done on technological usage for several years, across Sri Lanka. The research exposed how a high percentage of youth misuse the technology at their hands due to lack of knowledge and empowerment. On the other hand they explored the lack of technological knowledge of government officials and other parties. Drawing along the conclusions received, the founders explored the avenues and potential of the youth in rural areas who lacked a platform to enhance their strengths and execute their innovative ideas,” it said.
The event was also used as an arena to introduce several innovative mobile applications to strengthen the technological revolution in rural areas introduced and innovated by I.C.A.N Advertising. The applications included Friends Belt (A genuine social media platform suitable to Sri Lanka), Gedarata Plus (a multi-vendor shopping platform from home), Esenin (a taxi app which passengers and drivers use) and Paara.lk (a comprehensive directory).
The event had several sessions which educated and shared the opportunities for youth entrepreneurs from rural areas in Sri Lanka. One of the highlights of the day included the panel discussion on “Dialogue on Digital Sri Lanka” with the participation of erudite speakers of the industry.
The experienced panelists included Kushil Gunasekara, Founder and the Chief Trustee, Foundation of Goodness; Achala Samaradiwakara, co-founder Good Market; Fathhi Mohamed, Co-founder of PickMe and Yoho Bed; Isura Silva, Consultant, Strategic Management of Sarvodaya Fusion and Dr. Ashan Perera, UN SDG Action Award Winner 2018, Youth Advocate, Social Entrepreneur and Founder of The Road to Rights Youth-Led Organisation. The panel was moderated by Dr. Nirmal De Silva- Co founder and CEO of Paramount.
The discussion was built around subjects such as opportunities and challenges of the rural entrepreneurship in Sri Lanka, responsibility of a society powered with technology, why Sri Lanka needs entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship and a wide range of subjects that cover the arena of rural entrepreneurship.
Welcoming the gathering Dr. Ashan Perera commented on the importance of a platform such as Gamata Technology. “While we were conducting the initial research, I met many young Sri Lankans who had wonderful innovative ideas; websites to promote tourism, integrate and notify people and business places, platforms to reach the international audience of historical monuments while being in their own home towns. But these innovators lack the technology and the knowledge to execute these ideas. So if we all can take the right technology and right technological resources to the rural areas, we can build our country to great heights with these ideas. Even though there are people waiting to change the world in rural areas, there’s no stage built for them to do so. The world is moving at great speed with technology. If we do not transport technological knowledge and skills to rural areas, we won’t be able to join the international arena,” he said.
He further added: “We hope to take the Gamata technology programme to the people in all 25 districts. We will be meeting the youth, government officials, etc. If we can give the right technological knowledge to these groups, we can find many resources for every industry. These resources are the ones which will change Sri Lanka, strengthen the culture, traditions and the unity we hold. We should identify them. I welcome the business sector, entrepreneurs and policy makers to join with us in strengthening them. The people who are behind this programme can change the cities, our country and win the world.”
Achala Samaradiwakara, co-founder Good Market, mentioned that it is all about using the current issues of the system, and changing the system using technology. It’s not always about doing something new, but doing it differently, adopting to the context and customers.