This survey of Sri Lankan startups found the following:
- The majority of entrepreneurs were young (ages 20-35) and highly educated (with a Bachelor's degree or higher).
- Startups were predominantly male-founded (96%) and operated in the computer science or engineering fields (65%).
- Most startups were in the expansion stage, generating early or growing revenues (55% with up to $150k in revenue) primarily from personal savings or family/friends.
- Startups typically had small teams of 2-5 people looking to grow their workforce.
- Entrepreneurs rated affordable work space, access to funding, reliable internet, branding support, mentorship, regulations
TVCA’s Thai Startup Founders Survey 2016 explores the background and opinion of 30 founders/co-founders of technology startup companies based in or focusing on Thailand market on various topics including the founders’ background, company profile and their opinion on the Thailand ecosystem in general.
The Indian startup ecosystem has grown tremendously in recent years. There are now over 500 active angels and 150 venture capital funds investing in startups. India is also home to over 110 accelerators and incubators as well as countless coworking spaces and meetup events. While the ecosystem faces challenges like a lack of experienced talent and complex regulations, the government has launched new programs like Startup India and Atal Innovation Mission to support entrepreneurship. With continued government support and focus on fundamentals, the Indian startup sector is expected to grow three times in size over the next five years.
The document discusses the Indian startup ecosystem and angel investing landscape in India. It provides statistics on the number of startups in India and funding amounts. It notes that over 3,100 startups exist in India as of 2014, making it the 4th largest base worldwide. Additionally, it outlines that over 300 VC/PE deals and 225 angel investment deals have occurred in India totaling over $2 billion in the last 3 years. The document also examines the key players in angel and VC investing in India and discusses some of the main challenges for angel investors in the country.
SMEs make up over 90% of Uganda's private sector and contribute about 75% of GDP. SMPs, which are accounting practices that mainly serve SMEs, face challenges in fully complying with ISAs due to their small size and lack of resources. While "an audit is an audit", SME audits have distinguishing features like concentrated ownership and less complex record-keeping. Strict legal requirements in Africa mean that all registered companies need audits, even though a review may suffice for some SMEs. Proportionate application of ISAs is possible for SME audits.
Interested in starting a company in Pakistan? Here is a quick 15-min guide for everything you need to know to get started.
This guide is provides an overview of the Pakistan market size, key players, opportunity then dives into topics such as costs of operation, rules/regulations and even local culture.
Pakistan Startup Report is a guide written by local volunteer entrepreneurs and investors. If you are interested in creating such a report for your own country, please contact hello@worldstartupreport.com. Please also consider making a donation to help create more of these free reports for other countries in need.
Thanks for reading!
Indian Startups Starts and Closure ResearchMukund Mohan
The document summarizes research from the Microsoft Accelerator on technology startup trends in India. It finds that over 6,000 companies have been tracked, with the highest number of new starts in 2010-2011. Bangalore accounts for over 41% of new starts. Ecommerce makes up 1/3 of new companies. Bangalore also sees the most closures, with over half of closures in 2011 occurring within the first year. Common reasons for failure include an inability to raise funds or get customers to pay quickly. Most entrepreneurs who fail go on to work for larger companies due to stigma around failure in India.
This document presents the results of a pilot project testing the relevance of Malaysia's National Corporate Innovation Index (NCII) for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The NCII was originally developed to measure innovation performance in large Malaysian companies. The pilot project aimed to evaluate how applicable the NCII framework is for SMEs and identify any necessary adjustments. The results suggest that while the NCII captures important aspects of innovation for SMEs, some elements require modification to better reflect the priorities and processes of smaller businesses. The findings aim to help SMEs better measure and communicate their innovation activities.
TVCA’s Thai Startup Founders Survey 2016 explores the background and opinion of 30 founders/co-founders of technology startup companies based in or focusing on Thailand market on various topics including the founders’ background, company profile and their opinion on the Thailand ecosystem in general.
The Indian startup ecosystem has grown tremendously in recent years. There are now over 500 active angels and 150 venture capital funds investing in startups. India is also home to over 110 accelerators and incubators as well as countless coworking spaces and meetup events. While the ecosystem faces challenges like a lack of experienced talent and complex regulations, the government has launched new programs like Startup India and Atal Innovation Mission to support entrepreneurship. With continued government support and focus on fundamentals, the Indian startup sector is expected to grow three times in size over the next five years.
The document discusses the Indian startup ecosystem and angel investing landscape in India. It provides statistics on the number of startups in India and funding amounts. It notes that over 3,100 startups exist in India as of 2014, making it the 4th largest base worldwide. Additionally, it outlines that over 300 VC/PE deals and 225 angel investment deals have occurred in India totaling over $2 billion in the last 3 years. The document also examines the key players in angel and VC investing in India and discusses some of the main challenges for angel investors in the country.
SMEs make up over 90% of Uganda's private sector and contribute about 75% of GDP. SMPs, which are accounting practices that mainly serve SMEs, face challenges in fully complying with ISAs due to their small size and lack of resources. While "an audit is an audit", SME audits have distinguishing features like concentrated ownership and less complex record-keeping. Strict legal requirements in Africa mean that all registered companies need audits, even though a review may suffice for some SMEs. Proportionate application of ISAs is possible for SME audits.
Interested in starting a company in Pakistan? Here is a quick 15-min guide for everything you need to know to get started.
This guide is provides an overview of the Pakistan market size, key players, opportunity then dives into topics such as costs of operation, rules/regulations and even local culture.
Pakistan Startup Report is a guide written by local volunteer entrepreneurs and investors. If you are interested in creating such a report for your own country, please contact hello@worldstartupreport.com. Please also consider making a donation to help create more of these free reports for other countries in need.
Thanks for reading!
Indian Startups Starts and Closure ResearchMukund Mohan
The document summarizes research from the Microsoft Accelerator on technology startup trends in India. It finds that over 6,000 companies have been tracked, with the highest number of new starts in 2010-2011. Bangalore accounts for over 41% of new starts. Ecommerce makes up 1/3 of new companies. Bangalore also sees the most closures, with over half of closures in 2011 occurring within the first year. Common reasons for failure include an inability to raise funds or get customers to pay quickly. Most entrepreneurs who fail go on to work for larger companies due to stigma around failure in India.
This document presents the results of a pilot project testing the relevance of Malaysia's National Corporate Innovation Index (NCII) for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The NCII was originally developed to measure innovation performance in large Malaysian companies. The pilot project aimed to evaluate how applicable the NCII framework is for SMEs and identify any necessary adjustments. The results suggest that while the NCII captures important aspects of innovation for SMEs, some elements require modification to better reflect the priorities and processes of smaller businesses. The findings aim to help SMEs better measure and communicate their innovation activities.
The document discusses promoting research and innovation in India through attracting and retaining skilled migrants and students. It notes that India loses $2 billion annually due to emigration of computer experts and $10 billion from students going abroad for higher education. Fewer than 1% of Indian students pursue doctoral studies and many prefer going abroad, resulting in India producing only around 125 PhDs in computer engineering each year despite graduating over 1.7 million engineering students. It is proposed to provide assistance converting ideas into business plans and funding, mentorship, and networking opportunities through the Technology Incubation and Entrepreneurial Training Society to promote entrepreneurship and innovation.
To bring out the leading business organizations in consultants sector, we have come up with our latest edition of “The 10 Most Trusted Immigration Consulting Companies”.
VC investments in ASEAN have surpassed 2016 totals in Q3 2017, with a massive amount concentrated in fewer deals. Fundamentals are in place for ASEAN's digital economy to grow rapidly, with a large population, one-third under 30, and internet penetration growing. Both Chinese and Japanese tech companies and corporates have increasingly invested in ASEAN startups. Regional and foreign investors have also increased interest, with several VC funds raising $200+ million for Southeast Asia. However, the majority of funding still goes to early-stage deals, with an emerging gap in growth-stage funding. Mobile investments have increased as a percentage of total funding due to smartphones' dominance in ASEAN markets.
WHO IS AN ENTREPRENEUR.?
What is an Start-up.?
Stages to set up Startup
Current scenario in INDIA of start ups
Fun Facts for INDIAN start ups
Sad Facts for INDIAN start ups
All is not Well with this Start-up Movement in India
Government Intervention
Options of ownerships
Sources of finance available to a business
Sources of finance available to start-ups
Criteria FOR LOANS
The problem areas LOANS
This document outlines the unemployment crisis in Bangladesh and proposes a solution of encouraging more entrepreneurship. It notes that 2.7 million graduates enter the workforce each year but only 550,000 new formal jobs are created, leaving most unemployed. Currently there are 30 million unemployed people that could reach 50 million in the next five years. However, if just 1% of people decided to create their own jobs through entrepreneurship instead of job searching, it could generate 27,000 new entrepreneurs each year. If just half of those entrepreneurs were successful and employed 100 people each, it would create 1.3 million new jobs annually to address the unemployment crisis. The document then describes a project called "Setu" that will help bridge information and funding gaps
CEOs are adjusting their business strategies to focus on domestic growth opportunities from rising middle-income consumers in Asia Pacific. They are increasing investments in innovation, services, and distribution capabilities while also expanding through new partnerships with local companies. However, CEOs see human resources and research & development operations as less prepared for these strategic changes compared to other areas like marketing and customer service. The shift toward domestic-led growth is leading businesses to transform their operating models and partnerships to adapt to changing consumer preferences in Asia Pacific.
"PeriGrow” is an organization dedicated to offering professional services in the finance and accounting industry employing some of the best brains in the industry, who collaborate to provide audit, consulting, financial advisory, risk management, and tax services to clients.
- GIFT is a proposed financial hub in Gujarat, India that aims to provide 1 million direct and indirect jobs and attract financial services and IT/ITeS sectors.
- It will have world-class infrastructure including offices, housing, social infrastructure, and smart city features to attract top talent in India.
- GIFT's strategic location in Gujarat gives it access to a large, growing talent pool and business-friendly environment. Its development is envisioned to spur regional economic growth.
Lenskart and Oyo were analyzed. Lenskart is an online eyewear retailer in India that has seen 300% growth in the last 3 years. It has raised over $1.6 billion from investors including SoftBank Vision Fund. Oyo is a hospitality company that provides lodging services and has raised a total of $3.2 billion over 17 rounds from investors including SoftBank, Sequoia Capital, and Lightspeed Venture Partners. Both companies have experienced significant growth and funding from major venture capital firms.
performance-effectiveness-of-technology-incubation-in-nigeria-2151-6219.1000121Evelyn Azih (PhD in view)
This document provides a literature review and background on a study that evaluates the performance effectiveness of a Technology Incubation Centre in Lagos, Nigeria. The study aims to measure the Centre's effectiveness in developing small and medium enterprises by identifying support processes and techniques that help businesses grow during and after incubation. It also seeks to determine causes for the high failure rate of businesses after completing the incubation program. The document reviews relevant literature on business incubation, small and medium enterprises, and performance effectiveness. It provides context on the problem being examined, the objectives and research questions of the study, and the methodology to be used including questionnaires, interviews and descriptive statistics.
2016 Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC) Impact ReportMatthew Hugo
Take a look at ICCC's 2016 annual Impact Report, which covers some of this year's success stories, as well as metrics that shine light on our program's impact on the job climate of inner cities around America!
This document provides an overview of considerations for doing business in Thailand. It discusses assessing readiness to scale into Thailand, including having the necessary capability, capacity, and market demand. It also addresses whether a new set of strategies is needed when expanding to Thailand, such as understanding differences in Thai consumers versus home markets. Finally, it covers factors to examine when entering Thailand with a local partner, like business structures, selecting partners, and protecting foreign business interests.
Business incubation provides business support services to help new companies become established and profitable during startup. It offers advice, services, networking and mentoring through four phases: pre-incubation for planning, early stage for marketing and legal help, classic incubation for office space and funding access, and graduation for close marketing support. Key factors for success include involvement from private sector partners, improving incubator staff skills, linking to other SME programs, and finding sustainable funding sources. Establishing a business incubator requires feasibility studies of the market need, stakeholder support, facilities, and financial viability.
The role of incubators in entrepreneurship and innovationStephen Ong
An assessment of the influence of incubators on the
entrepreneurship environment for innovators in
Malaysia.
A policy study towards formulating the National Innovation Strategy
Crafting a talent analytics function and building strategic partnershipWilliam Gaker
This document discusses building a talent analytics function and the speaker's journey in doing so at LinkedIn. Some key points:
- The speaker discusses guiding principles for crafting a talent analytics function, such as identifying its core purpose, staffing it with a blend of skills, focusing on questions that create business value, investing in maturity, and prioritizing efforts.
- Examples are provided of how the speaker focused on quick wins to build credibility, developed a framework to help stakeholders ask strategic questions, and is leveraging analytics across the talent lifecycle.
- Case examples show how the speaker used analytics to help with engineering hiring needs, improve operational planning and retention, and identify critical skills and attractive hiring regions.
Maiden Magnates : An Analysis of India's Free -Spirited Women Entrepreneurs Biz2Credit Info Services
This Ebook carries some critical insight about businesswomen in India. Biz2credit has put down statistical analysis of state of business women in rural and urban areas, challenges and opportunities for women entrepreneurs in India, impetus available for female entrepreneurs and citations of some exemplary business-women.
The document provides an overview of the Slovak startup ecosystem based on findings from the 2014 KPMG Startup Survey. It finds that the typical Slovak entrepreneur is young (under 35), well-educated, predominantly male, and working in teams of 2-3 people. Startups cover many industries but are still early-stage, generating modest revenues and employment. While funding is being accessed, expectations remain conservative. The ecosystem is active in supporting startups through organizations, events, and services, though corporates could provide more support. Overall the Slovak startup scene is growing but there is still room for more development.
The document discusses promoting research and innovation in India through attracting and retaining skilled migrants and students. It notes that India loses $2 billion annually due to emigration of computer experts and $10 billion from students going abroad for higher education. Fewer than 1% of Indian students pursue doctoral studies and many prefer going abroad, resulting in India producing only around 125 PhDs in computer engineering each year despite graduating over 1.7 million engineering students. It is proposed to provide assistance converting ideas into business plans and funding, mentorship, and networking opportunities through the Technology Incubation and Entrepreneurial Training Society to promote entrepreneurship and innovation.
To bring out the leading business organizations in consultants sector, we have come up with our latest edition of “The 10 Most Trusted Immigration Consulting Companies”.
VC investments in ASEAN have surpassed 2016 totals in Q3 2017, with a massive amount concentrated in fewer deals. Fundamentals are in place for ASEAN's digital economy to grow rapidly, with a large population, one-third under 30, and internet penetration growing. Both Chinese and Japanese tech companies and corporates have increasingly invested in ASEAN startups. Regional and foreign investors have also increased interest, with several VC funds raising $200+ million for Southeast Asia. However, the majority of funding still goes to early-stage deals, with an emerging gap in growth-stage funding. Mobile investments have increased as a percentage of total funding due to smartphones' dominance in ASEAN markets.
WHO IS AN ENTREPRENEUR.?
What is an Start-up.?
Stages to set up Startup
Current scenario in INDIA of start ups
Fun Facts for INDIAN start ups
Sad Facts for INDIAN start ups
All is not Well with this Start-up Movement in India
Government Intervention
Options of ownerships
Sources of finance available to a business
Sources of finance available to start-ups
Criteria FOR LOANS
The problem areas LOANS
This document outlines the unemployment crisis in Bangladesh and proposes a solution of encouraging more entrepreneurship. It notes that 2.7 million graduates enter the workforce each year but only 550,000 new formal jobs are created, leaving most unemployed. Currently there are 30 million unemployed people that could reach 50 million in the next five years. However, if just 1% of people decided to create their own jobs through entrepreneurship instead of job searching, it could generate 27,000 new entrepreneurs each year. If just half of those entrepreneurs were successful and employed 100 people each, it would create 1.3 million new jobs annually to address the unemployment crisis. The document then describes a project called "Setu" that will help bridge information and funding gaps
CEOs are adjusting their business strategies to focus on domestic growth opportunities from rising middle-income consumers in Asia Pacific. They are increasing investments in innovation, services, and distribution capabilities while also expanding through new partnerships with local companies. However, CEOs see human resources and research & development operations as less prepared for these strategic changes compared to other areas like marketing and customer service. The shift toward domestic-led growth is leading businesses to transform their operating models and partnerships to adapt to changing consumer preferences in Asia Pacific.
"PeriGrow” is an organization dedicated to offering professional services in the finance and accounting industry employing some of the best brains in the industry, who collaborate to provide audit, consulting, financial advisory, risk management, and tax services to clients.
- GIFT is a proposed financial hub in Gujarat, India that aims to provide 1 million direct and indirect jobs and attract financial services and IT/ITeS sectors.
- It will have world-class infrastructure including offices, housing, social infrastructure, and smart city features to attract top talent in India.
- GIFT's strategic location in Gujarat gives it access to a large, growing talent pool and business-friendly environment. Its development is envisioned to spur regional economic growth.
Lenskart and Oyo were analyzed. Lenskart is an online eyewear retailer in India that has seen 300% growth in the last 3 years. It has raised over $1.6 billion from investors including SoftBank Vision Fund. Oyo is a hospitality company that provides lodging services and has raised a total of $3.2 billion over 17 rounds from investors including SoftBank, Sequoia Capital, and Lightspeed Venture Partners. Both companies have experienced significant growth and funding from major venture capital firms.
performance-effectiveness-of-technology-incubation-in-nigeria-2151-6219.1000121Evelyn Azih (PhD in view)
This document provides a literature review and background on a study that evaluates the performance effectiveness of a Technology Incubation Centre in Lagos, Nigeria. The study aims to measure the Centre's effectiveness in developing small and medium enterprises by identifying support processes and techniques that help businesses grow during and after incubation. It also seeks to determine causes for the high failure rate of businesses after completing the incubation program. The document reviews relevant literature on business incubation, small and medium enterprises, and performance effectiveness. It provides context on the problem being examined, the objectives and research questions of the study, and the methodology to be used including questionnaires, interviews and descriptive statistics.
2016 Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC) Impact ReportMatthew Hugo
Take a look at ICCC's 2016 annual Impact Report, which covers some of this year's success stories, as well as metrics that shine light on our program's impact on the job climate of inner cities around America!
This document provides an overview of considerations for doing business in Thailand. It discusses assessing readiness to scale into Thailand, including having the necessary capability, capacity, and market demand. It also addresses whether a new set of strategies is needed when expanding to Thailand, such as understanding differences in Thai consumers versus home markets. Finally, it covers factors to examine when entering Thailand with a local partner, like business structures, selecting partners, and protecting foreign business interests.
Business incubation provides business support services to help new companies become established and profitable during startup. It offers advice, services, networking and mentoring through four phases: pre-incubation for planning, early stage for marketing and legal help, classic incubation for office space and funding access, and graduation for close marketing support. Key factors for success include involvement from private sector partners, improving incubator staff skills, linking to other SME programs, and finding sustainable funding sources. Establishing a business incubator requires feasibility studies of the market need, stakeholder support, facilities, and financial viability.
The role of incubators in entrepreneurship and innovationStephen Ong
An assessment of the influence of incubators on the
entrepreneurship environment for innovators in
Malaysia.
A policy study towards formulating the National Innovation Strategy
Crafting a talent analytics function and building strategic partnershipWilliam Gaker
This document discusses building a talent analytics function and the speaker's journey in doing so at LinkedIn. Some key points:
- The speaker discusses guiding principles for crafting a talent analytics function, such as identifying its core purpose, staffing it with a blend of skills, focusing on questions that create business value, investing in maturity, and prioritizing efforts.
- Examples are provided of how the speaker focused on quick wins to build credibility, developed a framework to help stakeholders ask strategic questions, and is leveraging analytics across the talent lifecycle.
- Case examples show how the speaker used analytics to help with engineering hiring needs, improve operational planning and retention, and identify critical skills and attractive hiring regions.
Maiden Magnates : An Analysis of India's Free -Spirited Women Entrepreneurs Biz2Credit Info Services
This Ebook carries some critical insight about businesswomen in India. Biz2credit has put down statistical analysis of state of business women in rural and urban areas, challenges and opportunities for women entrepreneurs in India, impetus available for female entrepreneurs and citations of some exemplary business-women.
The document provides an overview of the Slovak startup ecosystem based on findings from the 2014 KPMG Startup Survey. It finds that the typical Slovak entrepreneur is young (under 35), well-educated, predominantly male, and working in teams of 2-3 people. Startups cover many industries but are still early-stage, generating modest revenues and employment. While funding is being accessed, expectations remain conservative. The ecosystem is active in supporting startups through organizations, events, and services, though corporates could provide more support. Overall the Slovak startup scene is growing but there is still room for more development.
The document describes RAFIKI Agro Innovation Centre (RAIC), a project under JHM Foundation in Tanzania that aims to incubate 10 agricultural startups per year. RAIC will provide the startups with farmland, funding, training, mentoring and networking opportunities to help them develop profitable businesses. The goal is for the startups to generate profits that pay back the initial investments and allow the project to continue supporting more entrepreneurs, thus becoming self-sustaining. The project financial forecast estimates it will pay back its USD207,500 initial investment within 5 years and support agricultural development and youth employment in Tanzania.
Up Global - Fostering a startup ecosystem (full report)Startupi
This document discusses key ingredients for fostering successful startup ecosystems, focusing on talent, density, culture, capital, and regulatory environment. Regarding talent, it emphasizes investing in education and workforce training, creating flexible labor markets, and promoting immigration and diversity. For density, it stresses the importance of clusters and physical hubs in bringing talented people together to increase innovation. Culture focuses on promoting entrepreneurship through role models, accepting failure, and teaching entrepreneurial skills. Capital looks at ensuring startups have access to financing. And regulatory environment examines creating a stable, predictable environment for entrepreneurs and investors.
Fostering a Startup and Innovation EcosystemTechstars
We are on a mission to make the world a more innovative and prosperous place, one community at a time.
We believe that entrepreneurs are critical to driving a strong global economy and a better world. We do our part by supporting the grassroots leaders who are at the core of every strong entrepreneurial community
This document discusses key ingredients for fostering successful startup ecosystems, focusing on talent, density, culture, capital, and regulatory environment. Regarding talent, it emphasizes investing in human capital through flexible labor markets, education in skills like coding, and promoting diversity. For density, it notes the importance of clusters in bringing together talent and ideas. Culture is discussed in terms of highlighting entrepreneurs, accepting failure, and teaching entrepreneurial skills. Access to capital for startups is also highlighted. The regulatory environment should create stability and support for entrepreneurs and investors. Overall the document provides an overview of common factors that help develop thriving startup communities.
The ICE Angels is a network of investors in New Zealand that has invested $48 million in over 75 startups since 2004. It connects investors with promising startups to facilitate funding. The ICE Angels provides support to startups through training, workshops, and international connections. Members include entrepreneurs, executives, and investors who collaborate to identify, review, and support high-potential startups.
"The 10 Most Admired Companies in Sri Lanka 2018"Merry D'souza
Omobio is a leading Sri Lankan company that develops digital and smart solutions for the telecom sector. Founded in 2011, it has grown from a small startup to a team of over 160 employees serving over 30 customers in more than 20 countries. Omobio specializes in products like self-care applications and customer care solutions that help telecom operators optimize their business and improve customer service. The company is led by CEO Eranga Weeraratne, who has overseen its successful expansion and winning of multiple national awards. In addition to serving telecom clients, Omobio is looking to expand its solutions to other industries and continues to invest in R&D to develop cutting-edge technologies like IoT and
The document summarizes a venture capital fund that invests globally in technology companies. It has offices in major tech hubs around the world like Silicon Valley, Shanghai, Mexico City, and Dubai. The fund has invested in over 55 companies so far with a total valuation of $600 million generated from 8 exits. It provides services to support portfolio companies, including business consulting, sales and marketing support, and access to mentors. The fund aims to generate returns through investing in cutting-edge technology startups focused on growth.
The Kitchen October edition magazine : State of the startups in KeralaAndrine Mendez
This document discusses the importance of mentorship for entrepreneurs. It notes that while entrepreneurship seems glamorous, building a successful business takes vision, execution skills, and business discipline. There is no single trait that guarantees entrepreneurial success. However, entrepreneurs can be mentored to develop skills and habits commonly seen in successful entrepreneurs. Mentorship provides guidance to help entrepreneurs turn their ideas into reality and overcome challenges that could cause many startups to fail within the first few years. The document advocates for the value of mentorship in helping nurture entrepreneurs and create the right conditions for business success.
This document summarizes a startup called Startify that aims to help new entrepreneurs succeed by providing planning, guidance, expertise and addressing common causes of startup failure like lack of experience, leadership and external factors. It discusses Startify's target market of wannapreneurs aged 20-35, revenue streams such as fees or equity, competitors, current progress including an MVP and pilot programs, and introduces the founding team.
Partner Deck: Sankalp Southeast Asia 2015sankalp_forum
Intellecap is hosting the Sankalp South East Asia Summit in Jakarta to bring together over 400 stakeholders working on social entrepreneurship and inclusive development in Southeast Asia. The summit aims to seed conversations around building an enabling ecosystem for social enterprises in the region and driving critical collaborations. Key activities will include sector deep-dives, discussions on alternative financing models, working groups for enablers like incubators, startup training workshops, and an enterprise showcase to promote promising social enterprises. The goal is to leverage partnerships between actors in Southeast Asia, India, Africa, and beyond to address challenges and replicate successful models.
ACE is the national trade association for startups in Singapore, representing over 1,500 members including startups, corporations, universities, investors, and government agencies. It works closely with the government to promote entrepreneurship and help startups scale up. Singapore has a vibrant startup ecosystem ranked highly globally, with over 3,800 startups mainly in fintech, healthtech, AI, and other deep tech fields. The government supports startups through grants, tax incentives, and programs like LaunchPad which provide space for startups to develop technologies in areas like AI, blockchain, and biotech.
Event Hand Book - APEC Accelerator Network summit 2014Siow Wee Tan
This document provides information about the APEC Start-up Accelerator Leadership Summit and Intel APEC Challenge event being held in Taipei, Taiwan from August 13-14, 2013. The welcome messages introduce the event and its goals of connecting entrepreneurs, startups, and investors from across the Asia-Pacific region. The schedule outlines the various speaker presentations, panel discussions, and mentoring sessions taking place over the two days. It also provides details on the Intel APEC Challenge startup competition, including the categories, judging criteria, and prizes. The event aims to help startups network, obtain mentoring, and access funding opportunities through interactions with industry leaders, investors, and other entrepreneurs.
The document discusses the growth of the start-up ecosystem in India. It states that the number of start-ups in India increased by 40% within a year and is expected to exceed 4,200 by the end of 2015. Total funding for Indian start-ups is estimated to reach $5 billion by the end of 2015. Start-ups are playing a major role in technological innovations in India through their flexibility in adopting new technologies like cloud, mobile, analytics and social media. The growth of the start-up ecosystem has been boosted by increased funding from investors and acquisitions. It is making India a global start-up hub and generating many employment opportunities.
The document is KPMG's 2016 Startup Ecosystem Survey report for Slovakia. It provides summaries of the survey findings on Slovak entrepreneurs and the startup investment environment. Some key findings include:
- Most entrepreneurs are young (under 35) and well-educated, though not all have technical degrees. Many have other business commitments besides their startup.
- Startups are primarily in the early stages, with less than half generating revenue or raising external funding. However, they create employment and have plans to hire more staff and raise funding in the coming year.
- Investors in Slovakia are primarily venture capitalists. They have increased investments over the past year and are willing to invest over €30 million in start
This document summarizes a dinner event focused on enabling South African technology and the roles of the private sector. The event agenda includes opening remarks from SiMODiSA and the Department of Science and Technology, a presentation on AlphaCode and its work funding fintech startups, and a panel discussion on scaling technology commercialization and convincing private sector CEOs to prioritize local technology. The document also provides brief biographies of several speakers, including those from SiMODiSA, RMI, the IDC, Sasol, and Edge Growth. The overall goal of the event is to discuss how the private and public sectors can work together to boost technology commercialization in South Africa.
This document contains two regulations related to financial transaction reporting in Sri Lanka. The first regulation cites that every financial institution must report electronic fund transfers over 1 million Sri Lankan rupees or its equivalent in foreign currency to the Financial Intelligence Unit. The second regulation determines that every financial institution must report cash transactions over 1 million Sri Lankan rupees or its equivalent in any currency to the Financial Intelligence Unit. Both regulations update previous requirements and take effect on June 1, 2008.
This document provides the course outline for Business Mathematics at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. The 3-credit core course introduces students to basic mathematical principles and techniques used in business and economics. Topics covered include functions, differentiation, integration, and mathematics of finance. Assessment includes mid-term and final exams, assignments, and class participation. The course aims to help students apply mathematical tools to solve business problems and interpret the results.
This document provides information about an Operations Management course offered at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. The course is a 3-credit core course for several B.Sc. degrees. It introduces key concepts and principles of operations management. Major topics covered include operations strategy, product and process design, quality management, capacity and inventory management, and supply chain management. The course aims to help students understand the importance of operations management and apply techniques in areas like forecasting, quality control, and production planning. Students will be assessed through exams, assignments, and class participation.
This document provides information about an Operations Management course offered at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. The course is a 3-credit core course for several B.Sc. degrees. It introduces key concepts and principles of operations management. Major topics covered include operations strategy, product and process design, quality management, capacity planning, and inventory management. The course aims to help students understand the importance of operations management and demonstrate abilities in areas like system design, planning, scheduling, and control. Students will be assessed through exams, assignments, and presentations.
1. The document discusses various methods for organizing, presenting, analyzing, and interpreting data from a study. It describes textual, tabular, and graphical forms of data presentation and differentiates between qualitative and quantitative analysis.
2. Guidelines are provided for interpreting results, including integrating findings with the theoretical framework, literature review, and potential applications. The interpretation section should draw conclusions, examine the meaning of findings, address limitations, and potentially develop new theories.
3. Tips are offered for writing the data presentation, analysis, and interpretation chapters to clearly communicate the study results in an objective, logical manner. Relevant data should be presented using effective mediums and compared to prior studies.
Crowdfunding involves soliciting financial contributions from a large number of people, typically through the Internet. Some early examples date back to the 18th century, but modern crowdfunding platforms emerged around 2008. Key platforms discussed are Kickstarter, which focuses on creative projects, and Giveforward, which was created to help families after Hurricane Katrina. There are now over 500 crowdfunding platforms that use either a donation or investment model. Choosing a platform involves considering factors like fees, ease of use, and support tools to help promote projects.
This document provides an overview of crowdfunding practices and principles. It begins by defining crowdfunding as using an open online call to obtain financial resources in the form of donations or rewards in exchange for supporting specific initiatives. The document then discusses some of the advantages and disadvantages of crowdfunding. It outlines the typical steps in a crowdfunding campaign and describes the roles of crowdfunding platforms, fundraisers, and investors. The document emphasizes that crowdfunding platforms operate as multisided platforms that facilitate interactions between different user groups.
This document provides an overview and learning objectives for Chapter 1 of a study guide on financial statements. It discusses key concepts such as the role of accounting, the elements of financial statements including assets, liabilities, equity, revenues and expenses, and the accounting equation. It also covers classifying business transactions, preparing financial statements, recording transactions using a horizontal model, and the importance of ethics for accountants. Finally, it identifies three types of business organizations as service, merchandising, or manufacturing.
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3. This project consumed huge amount of work, research
and dedication.
Implementation would not have been possible had it
not been for the support of numerous individuals and
organizations. We would like to extend our sincerest
gratitude to:
• Ruwindhu Peiris
Vice Chairman and Entrepreneurship Lead
• Dharshan Cooray
Executive Director (SLASSCOM)
• Usaith Uwize
Marketing and Brand Specialist (DMS Electronics)
• Anas Akram
Project Executive (SLASSCOM)
• Ali Marikar Bawa
Senior Research Analyst (Stax)
• Randika Rodrigo
Senior Data Analyst (Stax)
Acknowledgements
4.
5. SLASSCOM has an aspiration of achieving $ 5 Billion in Export
Revenue and creating 200,000 direct and indirect employment
opportunities in the IT/BPM industry by 2022. We believe that the next
phase of growth in our industry will be powered by companies that are
yet to be born or are still at their early stages.
Hence, it is absolutely imperative that we nurture and promote
Entrepreneurship in Sri Lanka. ‘Startup Sri Lanka’ is an initiative by
SLASSCOM to ignite Entrepreneurship and is an integral part of
SLASSCOM’s plan to launch 1,000 start-ups, which is one of our core
initiatives in order to achieve our aspiration for 2022.
In Sri Lanka each year, ¼ million people enter the job market. Jobs
need to be created, the government sector has almost reached its
limit and the private sector has to now provide 8 out of 10 jobs. We
believe fostering Entrepreneurship will not only create wealth but more
importantly, create much needed Jobs.
The Startup Survey was one of the first steps in that journey – this
survey report will help investors, policy makers and entrepreneurs to
debate, deliberate and facilitate building an ecosystem to foster the
‘1,000 Startup Program’ initiative launched by SLASSCOM.
My sincere thanks goes to Startup Sri Lanka and the SLASSCOM
Entrepreneurship Forum, headed by Ruwindhu Peiris, for their efforts
in conducting the survey and publishing this report.
Mano Sekaram
Chairman
SLASSCOM
Chairman’s message
6. 1.0 Country Overview 7
2.0 Business in Sri Lanka 7
3.0 What is a Start-up? 7
4.0 Start-up Survey 8
4.1 The Sample Distribution 8
4.2 Sri Lankan Entrepreneurs - what are they like? 9
4.3 What does a Sri Lankan Start-up look like? 10
4.4 What do they think about the current start-up ecosystem? 11
5.0 Barriers to Growth for Start-ups 12
5.1 Specialization 12
5.2 External Funding 12
5.3 Addressing Market Needs 12
5.4 Restricted Access to Online Payments 12
6.0 Path to growing Sri Lanka’s Start-up Ecosystem 13
6.1 Funding 13
6.2 Business Costs 13
6.3 Branding Sri Lanka as the Next Start-up Hub 13
6.4 Entrepreneurial Mindset 13
6.5 Regional Inclusivity 14
6.6 Strategic Input 14
7.0 What’s in Store for 2016? 14
7.1 Opening up Markets to Start-ups 14
7.2 Improving Skills of Entrepreneurs 14
7.3 Enhance access to Technology, Infrastructure and Funding 15
7.4 Improve and Simplify the Regulatory Environment 15
7.5 Enhance Cultural and Community Engagement 15
7.6 Other Initiatives 15
8.0 Conclusion 15
Table of Contents
6
7. Sri Lanka’s strategic geographical position at the southern
tip of India places it at the nexus of the world, connecting the
Far East and the Pacific with Europe and the Americas. The
country’s economy has seen a steady growth and reached
USD 74.94 billion in 2014—a growth rate of over 7.5%.
According to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, the country is
making steady progress towards becoming one of the fastest
growing economies in South Asia; whilst managing inflation
(3.3%) and unemployment (4.3%).
The growth momentum of the services sector continued
with an expansion to 7.1% (of GDP) during the first half of
2015 compared to 4.2% in the first half of the previous year.
Overshadowed by the long-running war and the success of
India’s information technology (IT) industry, Sri Lanka was
previously left unrecognized by most as a center for delivering
IT, business process outsourcing (BPO) and other knowledge
services.
If Sri Lanka looks forward to sustaining and perhaps increasing
its level of economic growth, start-ups could provide an
opening into a highly competitive and largely impenetrable job
market, reducing unemployment by hiring handfuls of young,
qualified individuals across a range of industries. Moreover,
technological advancement and increased competition
between small businesses, require start-ups to develop
their products more quickly, efficiently, and cheaply, while
combating macro-economic issues such as rising rates of
inflation.
Sri Lanka’s current standing as a middle-income emerging
market, along with the prevalent business optimism and recent
policy changes to revitalize foreign investment inflows, is
helping to position it as a regional economic hub.
The business climate within the island is becoming increasingly
favorable to foreign investors and regional players. It is the only
country in the world to have Free Trade Agreements with both
India and Pakistan; the government plans to set up 45 high
Economic Development Zones and 11 Industrial and Technical
Zones to attract investors; and Sri Lanka moved up six spots in
the World Bank’s overall ‘Ease of Doing Business’ ranking this
year.
But is the country a favorable place for entrepreneurs and
start-ups? SLASSCOM set out to assess the entrepreneurship
landscape in Sri Lanka. Having started by surveying local
entrepreneurs to understand realities on the ground, and
entrepreneurs’ biggest pain points. SLASSCOM already held
a forum towards the end of 2015 highlighting key issues
surrounding the growth of Sri Lanka’s start-up ecosystem, and
with these reports we hope to disseminate our findings further,
and begin a broader conversation on this topic.
Start-ups are new businesses that are innovative—they
generate new products and ways of doing things. Technology
ideas are now driving innovation as much as business and
product ideas, the definition of a ‘tech company’ has become
increasingly obscure as most businesses today are built around
technology— creating a high growth, high impact business
environment.
A start-ups biggest value is the entrepreneurial mindset that
eventually increases the chances of growing a business
successfully. There is increasing interest from stakeholders of
all kinds: venture capital investors, private wealthy individuals,
event spaces and most importantly governments to get
involved as the economic benefits of hosting successful tech
companies is a big plus for the future welfare of any region.
Countries such as Israel are cultivating a thriving, accessible
and creative start-up environment comparable to that of the
Silicon Valley. With its capital having a population similar to
Colombo— it currently hosts one of the highest concentration
of start-ups with 62 accelerators, 40 co-working spaces,
60 “tech-community” spaces, and almost 70 investors all
within in a country of just 8.4 million people. Its entrepreneurs
have created a near perfect ‘innovation ecosystem’ Whereby
thousands of high-tech companies and start-ups, leading
multinationals, accelerators, and dozens of networking events-
coexist within an environment of raw urbanism and avant garde
culture.
Israel’s start-ups relies heavily upon investors and its
government, which directly directly supports the company at
every stage through 1:1 investments and initiatives such as the
Tel Aviv-Yafo dedicated to elevating the cities global position as
a start-up hub.
1.0 Country Overview 2.0 Business in
Sri Lanka
3.0 What is a Start-up?
7
8. The survey was launched by the SLASSCOM Innovation and
Entrepreneurship Forum to create a better understanding of
the current start-up ecosystem in Sri Lanka. With quantifiable
data on ground-level realities, we aim to fuel fact-based
discussions on Sri Lankan entrepreneurship. Our overall goal
is for these reports and forums to lead to a strategic, national,
and inclusive action plan to further nurture and grow the start-
up ecosystem.
4.0 Start-up Survey
4.1 Survey Sample
8
9. Our survey found that 75% of respondents were between the
ages 20 and 35. China indicates a similar age profile with 65%
of their entrepreneurs being from the same age band.
86% of respondents had a Bachelor’s degree or higher -
compared to 82.5% in the US. More than 65% listed Computer
Science or Engineering as their core area of expertise.
4.2 Sri Lankan
Entrepreneurs
what are they like?
They are young
They are educated
9
10. They are predominantly male
Our research proved that 96% of start-ups in Sri Lanka
consisted of male founders, a trend ubiquitous globally.
Sri Lanka’s current start-up ecosystem appears to
be in the expansion stage with 55% of entrepreneurs
generating early or growing revenues (with 65% of them
generating up to LKR150M in revenue).
58% of respondents utilized personal savings to fund their
business, while 12% of them relied on funding from family and
friends.
28% of funds were raised externally through angel investors
and bank loans etc. Access to credit is consistently rated by
small and medium firms as one of the greatest barriers to doing
business in Sri Lanka.
38% of respondents work in a team of 2-5 people while only
7% of them were listed as working on their own. According to
EY’s Global job creation and entrepreneurship survey for 2015,
47% of global entrepreneurs expect to increase their workforce
within the first year of the business being founded.
4.3 What does a Sri Lankan
Start-up look like?
They are expanding
They are internally funded
They have a growing
workforce
10
11. Respondents, were asked to rate a multitude of factors
pertaining to the current situation of start-ups:
Affordable Work Space
Access to debt capital from banks
More reliable and cheaper access to internet bandwidth
Sri Lanka brand recognition and global marketing to help
attract foreign clients
Access to experienced mentors to gain advice
Regulatory environment and ease of doing business
Access to technically proficient talent
A convenient means of making and receiving payments
online (Such as PayPal)
Technical skills
Visible successes and role models that encourage new
start-ups
Guidance from experienced entrepreneurs
A collaborative business culture
A pro-entrepreneurship culture and support from family
to pursuit start-up dreams
Risk tolerance and celebration of failures
A supportive regulatory environment and ease of
conducting business
Availability of Capital
4.4 What do they think
about the current
start-up ecosystem?
Ranking of obstacles for
growth of a startup
Ranking of enablers for
Startups to succeed
11
12. Our research showed most start-ups in Sri Lanka undertake
rapid diversification in order to mitigate the risk of failure.
A group of 27 companies with revenues up to LKR150M was
assessed to understand if the number of sectors they served
bore a relation to the revenue they generated. We found that
companies generating revenue within the range of LKR12M–
150M served ≤2 sectors, while companies that served 3 or
more sectors generated LKR 0–12M in revenue.
The strategy of early diversification has its positives—creating
a larger product mix, increasing the odds of a great idea and
building up an entrepreneur’s skill-set. However, it can be seen
that start-ups that focus on growing one product have the
ability to generate greater revenue, possibly due to the fact
that these players can focus their resources on developing a
higher quality product. Diversification may be better suited for
a later stage—following the execution of a successful primary
product; when companies have more resources to develop
a more sophisticated offering, as well as investigate new
markets.
Start-ups that received funding from external sources (i.e.,
banks, angel investors etc.) were shown to have a higher
growth rate than start-ups that were funded through personal
savings. Adequate access to debt capital however was listed
as a major problem for aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly for
start-ups catering to the food/drink and education sector.
This may explain why the majority of aspiring entrepreneurs
(62%) look to either personal savings, or family and friends for
funding.
Although present day start-ups can usually kick-off with no
involvement from external investors, it is evident that this
may be the difference between simply starting a business
and building a sustainable one. Attracting external investors
requires entrepreneurs to go through a vetting process—
formulating a sound business plan, one that will persuade the
investor to take a worthy risk.
A start-up that does gain access to external funds may grow
more rapidly— connecting a product with a larger audience
takes up considerable resources and planning, therefore a
bigger marketing budget is more likely. Start-ups with big name
backers also attract the visibility and reputational benefits that
a self-funded project only receives from becoming successful.
Furthermore, access to external funding gives businesses the
capital to attract and hire greater talent to build upon a good
idea. Investors may even join in as partners; a motivated,
smart and connected partner may have benefits beyond
just access to capital, active investors will likely be guides in
critical business decisions – which in turn could impact the
growth rate of a business. The dynamism of the tech start-
up environment allows for a limited response time, access to
external funding may be the key to accessing a market before
it peaks.
There is currently a mismatch between what investors see as
potentially high growth sectors, and the sectors entrepreneurs
are catering to. This misalignment between areas of interest
could be the reason for lack of funding.
Sectors such as education, transportation and healthcare have
gained significant interest from investors, but rank low in the
interest of entrepreneurs.
Entrepreneurs looking to initiate a business are beset by this
asymmetric information— adverse selection problems arise
when investors are unable to distinguish high from low quality
ideas and rather place emphasis on the prevailing success of
a specific industry. This short term-centric credit rationing has
exacerbated the underinvestment of start- ups in Sri Lanka.
Forums encouraging a dialogue between entrepreneurs and
investors will be an integral part of bridging this knowledge
gap. SLASSCOM aims to align the interests of investors and
entrepreneurs through a multitude of platforms; setting up
forums to establish an open mechanism to share ideas and
mentor start-ups, media campaigns to strengthen awareness
around entrepreneurship and, organize events to showcase Sri
Lanka’s start-ups to further attract investors.
The survey showed that a large number of existing and aspiring
entrepreneurs saw the lack of convenient online payment
gateways such as a major operational issue. Sri Lanka is
currently restricted from receiving payments through PayPal,
hindering many business owners from growing their businesses
globally.
Although a variety of other payment gateways are available,
PayPal is said to have more than 173 million active users
worldwide. The restricted access to PayPal has been as a
result of the Central Banks regulations to curb illegal money
laundering. Majority of Sri Lankan businesses however
still have access to smaller international gateways such
as 2Checkout and MoneyBookers; it is imperative that the
government addresses these issues as it could prove to be a
major growth obstacle to Sri Lanka’s start-ups.
5.0 Barriers to
Growth for
Start-ups
5.1 Specialization
5.2 External Funding
5.3 Addressing Market Needs
5.4 Restricted Access to
Online Payments
12
13. With over 50% of aspiring and existing entrepreneurs opting
to utilize personal savings to start their business, it is evident
that external funding and the lack of support from the banking
system are clear barriers to Sri Lanka’s start-up ecosystem.
The current slump in global capital markets and Sri Lanka’s risk
averse nature of investors has led them to look for more stable
avenues for investment. A mutual fund catering exclusively to
start-ups can be considered an alternative to the conventional
investment paths for venture capitalist and angel investors—
diversifying risk as well as portfolio, while having potential to
bring in exponential returns.
Encouraging enterprises and individuals to make angel
investment in the IT/BPM industry by extending triple tax
deductions for angel investments of up to Rs.25 million rupees
with matching investment from the state; funds will be required
to be managed via a chosen development bank.
The current restrictions imposed on foreign investors should
be relaxed— private foreign investments are risk free to the
country and whilst providing funding for start-ups, they bring
with it the advantages of advanced technology, management
best practices and assured markets. This will also open up the
possibilities of bringing in websites such as ‘Kickstarter’— one
of the largest crowdfunding platforms for start-ups— that have
a played a pivotal role in uplifting the start-up ecosystems in
countries like Australia.
A government supported technology investment fund is
proposed to support businesses at different stages. Proactively
engaging in private public partnerships has led to the rapid
development of start-up ecosystems in countries such as
Singapore where the government has put into place initiatives
such as the $1B ‘Technopreneurship’ Investment Fund, offering
up to $2M per start-up.
The survey showed that over 50% of existing and aspiring
entrepreneurs find the lack of affordable workspace to be an
issue. Furthermore, the cost of electricity which remains one
of the highest among countries of similar standing is a key
concern if Sri Lanka is to compete as a tech start-up hub.
Fostering incubators and co-working spaces that provide low-
cost space, and subsidized electricity is proposed to tackle
heavy costs of operation during the company’s infancy. Public-
private partnerships to identify suitable areas to be converted
to ‘incubator zones’ offering affordable rental and electricity
rates as per a pre-defined scheme.
Over 50% of aspiring and existing entrepreneurs consider
brand recognition and the ability to attract foreign clients as
an issue; it is evident that majority of existing entrepreneurs
are yet to identify its national marketing strength and branding
as an important factor to differentiating their businesses.
Furthermore, the recognition of start-ups by the government
and initiatives taken to position the country as a start-up hub
has played an instrumental role in developing the start-up eco
system in places such as Hong Kong.
It is recommended that fund be created under the supervision
of the IT/BPM Industry Advisory Committee of the EDB for:
• The continuation of country reports by globally recognized
commentators and analysts (Gartner) to provide a credible
view of the ground realities.
• Invitation of foreign media and press to promote and
highlight Sri Lanka as a Start-up hub.
• Sri Lankan entrepreneurs attending and taking part in high
level events such as ‘Tech in Asia’, to gain exposure to the
international market.
• Continue focus on e-Government initiatives with a “Buy Sri
Lankan” policy
It is evident that there exists a culture of low risk taking
propensity amongst aspiring entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka.
When evaluating feedback from the survey respondents it can
be seen that majority do not see social and cultural factors as
conducive to developing start-ups. Furthermore, aspiration to
go beyond the local market is not adequate even for start-ups
within the Rs.150M revenue band.
It is recommended that a consolidated effort be made to
influence the mindsets of students, parents and the public to
generate more interest in start-ups. Primary and secondary
education should be structured to foster entrepreneurial
thinking whilst inculcating the learning and application of
essential core skills into curricula.
6.0 Path to growing
Sri Lanka’s
Start- up
Ecosystem
6.1 Funding
6.2 Business Costs
6.3 Branding Sri Lanka as
the next Start-up Hub
6.4 Entrepreneurial Mindset
13
14. SLASSCOM plans to initiate, incubate and accelerate the
start-up ecosystem in Sri Lanka through focused plan targeted
towards the key areas mentioned below:
• Diaspora-Connect: Identifying Diaspora with high potential
business ideas and matching them with the necessary local
tech talent required to bring the idea to reality.
• Identifying Start-ups with similar interests to current
government ICT initiatives— to encourage government
participation and interest.
• Industry-wide alignment through events similar to ‘Sri Lanka
Tourism 2.0’ for potential high growth industries to position
Sri Lanka as a unique destination for start-ups.
• Establish a partnership with IIPL— an accelerator based
in Singapore— to promote the regional expansion of high
potential start-ups.
87% of the IT/BPM workforce are from areas outside Colombo,
this has created an environment of increased urbanization and
living costs. Analysis of the geographic spread of the survey
respondents revealed majority of the investment community
and aspiring/existing entrepreneurs were from Colombo.
It is important to ensure inclusive growth in order to achieve
national prosperity— initiatives such as the entrepreneurship
workshop held in Jaffna to create awareness of start-up
potential of regions outside Colombo. Tax incentives for
existing IT/BPM companies to set up operations outside
Colombo will ensure a balanced development of the ecosystem
and infrastructure throughout the country.
Access to experts that have an objective view of the business
—similar to that of an investor — can be paramount to
streamlining a company’s goals and providing it with a long-
term plan to fruition. Specialist input towards a realistic
valuation may aid the funding process by providing lenders
with a more credible foundation to invest, while consultation on
strategy and in-depth market research will allow the company
to follow a focused path to growth.
Possible government subsidies will help start-ups gain access
to professional help to better understand markets, identify
pathways to organic growth and discover untapped areas of
opportunity. Furthermore, steps should be taken to organize
similar initiatives to SLASSCOMS Xeleration, Sri Lanka’s first
accelerator program with regional access; which provides
start-ups with immersion into the international forum and,
mentoring from entrepreneurs and domain experts whilst
providing exposure to valuable networks to help capitalize on
regional growth opportunities.
7.0 What’s in store
for 2016?
7.1 Opening up markets
to Start-ups
6.5 Regional Inclusivity
6.6 Strategic Input
• Develop partnerships with relevant institutions to encourage
the teaching and cultivation of an entrepreneurial mindset at
an early age.
•
Synergize an appropriate university/ institute to offer a
‘SLASSCOM Tech Entrepreneurship’ to help identify ideas
with high business potential.
• Create a structured industry mentoring mechanism focused
on product engineering to refine offerings of start- ups with
high potential, with the ultimate aim of doubling its value.
7.2 Improving Skills
of Entrepreneurs
14
15. •
Establish cost-friendly co-working space with an effective
shared services network (legal, secretarial, HR, marketing,
etc).
• Forum with banks to help promote start-up friendly credit
facilities through a dedicated model for infant IT/BPM
companies.
• Support existing accelerator programs to mentor and grow
high potential start-ups.
• Identify key bottlenecks in the prevailing regulatory
framework and advocate with respective bodies.
• Organize events in association with Kandy IT week to
create awareness of entrepreneurship in areas outside of
Colombo.
• Recognize successful existing tech start-ups through
extensive media coverage.
• Create an open-source forum for entrepreneurs to share
and mentor each other by their area of expertise.
In addition the initiatives above, SLASSCOM hopes to engage
in dialogue with the government and other regulatory bodies to
discuss implementing the following:
• The introduction of free or subsidized work space for high
potential start-ups for up to a year.
• Reduction of Incorporation fees from the currently
stipulated Rs. 20,000 to Rs 5,000 for IT start-ups with a Rs.
500 annual fee, and the removal of the fees imposed on
companies looking to liquidate.
• Undertake targeted capacity building for high value
entrepreneurs in areas such as digital marketing, UI/User
Experience design and life-cycle management. In addition
to this, start-ups will be educated on how to attract
investors and facilitate management buyouts.
• Relaxed regulations on foreign-hires to enable start-ups to
receive expert consultation and guidance.
7.3 Enhance access
to Technology,
Infrastructure and
Funding
7.4 Improve and simplify
the regulatory
environment
7.5 Enhance cultural
and community
engagement
7.6 Other Initiatives
Over the past few years Sri Lanka has made significant
progress in areas related to physical infrastructure development
in order to promote business. However, Sri Lanka appears to
be of weak standing with regards to institutional coordination;
ranked relatively low for the cost of registering a business and
time taken to enforce a contract (although higher than most
other South Asian countries).
The bureaucratic bottlenecks are exacerbated by limited
access to finance, a comparison of the strength of collateral
and bankruptcy laws to protect the rights of borrowers and
lenders ranks lower to other developing countries. Sri Lanka
secured three out of twelve important policy prescriptions
based on the strength of legal rights that facilitate lending for
business start-ups, behind countries such as Vietnam and
Cambodia which scored seven and eleven respectively. With
approximately 80% of businesses being SMEs contributing
to over 50% of the nation’s GDP, it is necessary that these
regulatory hindrances be managed to establish an enabling
environment.
The success of creating a global start-up hub can be
accredited to creating a conducive ecosystem— an enabling
government policy direction, social awareness, entrepreneurial
skill development, business acumen and seed funding.
Sri Lanka’s thriving service sector, technology and finance
skills base and a growing IT/BPM ecosystem makes it a prime
candidate to become a regional start-up hub. A focused
national program driving key issues, aligning the interests of
the public and private sectors, and increasing awareness as
per the recommendations made will drive the country towards
achieving this goal.
8.0 Conclusion
15
16. Section 1
•
Competitive Benchmarking: Sri Lanka Knowledge
Services. ATKearney. Available from: https://www.
atkearney.com/documents/10192/430128/country_
competitiveness_study-sri_lanka.pdf/7d3033a4-5935-
41d8-bf99-a1462bf7d553 [Accessed January 12, 2016].
•
Location and Connectivity. Board of Investments.
Available from: http://www.investsrilanka.com/why_sri_
lanka/location_and_connectivity [Accessed January 10,
2016].
Section 2
• Annual Report 2014. Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
Available from: http://www.cbsl.gov.lk/pics_n_docs/10_
pub/_docs/efr/annual_report/ar2014/english/5_
chapter_01.pdf [Accessed December 20, 2015].
• Doing Business in Sri Lanka. Doing Business.
Available from: http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/
exploreeconomies/sri-lanka/ [Accessed January 11,
2016].
Section 3
• Digital Travel in Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv Non-Stop City.
Available from: http://www.telavivstartupcity.
com/#!digital-travel/c1yu8 [Accessed January 18, 2016].
References-SLASSCOM
16
17.
18.
19.
20. Startup Sri-Lanka is a brand represented by SLASSCOM’s Entrepreneurship Forum. A national
initiative to educate, enable and empower entrepreneurs, startups and investors in building a
startup ecosystem in Sri-Lanka
Sri Lanka Association of Software and Service Companies (SLASSCOM)
2nd floor, McLaren’s Building, # 123, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 4, Sri Lanka
corpoffice@slasscom.lk | +94 114 062223-7
http://srilankaitbpm.com/startup-ecosystem-in-sri-lanka/
https://www.facebook.com/StartupSriLanka/?fref=ts
http://www.slasscom.lk/startupsrilanka
http://www.lankanangelnetwork.com/default.php
http://readme.lk/business-setting-startup-sri-lanka/
http://roar.lk/startups/hottest-sri-lankan-startups-2015/
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