Information and Communication Technology Agency | Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka

NASSCOM EMERGEOUT Conclave an inspiration for Sri Lankan startup companies: ICTA-led delegation

Monday, 04 July 2011 10:35

The ICT Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA)-led delegation says that the National Association of Software and Services Companies, (NASSCOM) EMERGEOUT Conclave held in Chennai recently was a great inspiration.

ICTA led the delegation of companies to the NASSCOM EMERGEOUT Conclave under its Spiralation Programme.

Explaining about the Spiralation Programme a senior ICTA officer said that it aimed at supporting Technology Startups. It targets business enterprises either new or in early stages of development and encourages entrepreneurs island-wide to launch businesses that translate their ideas into new technology products and/or services. A two-pronged characteristic that the potential entrepreneurs in this proramme are recommended to ensure in their products / services is that they address market gaps and assist new ICT related innovations.

Launched in July 2010, the programme has approximately 23 partner organisations which form the ‘partner ecosystem’. These include international technology providers, prestigious higher education institutions and industry (both ICT and other), professional bodies and industry chambers. Twelve companies have been selected for the programme and have begun their journey in launching their product companies.

Introducing the NASSCOM EMERGEOUT Conclave, held at Chennai Hilton, a senior ICTA spokesperson says that NASSCOM is the premier trade body and the chamber of commerce of the IT-BPO industries in India. The NASSCOM EMERGEOUT Conclave is the launch pad for Indian startup companies to collaborate and share thought-provoking ideas on the next generation IT innovations. The platform also connected business leaders, IT heads, CXOs, thought leaders, best practice champions and innovators.

ICTA Grant Scheme covering Startups’ 75% of project cost starts off

Monday, 02 August 2010 10:19

Under an ICTA-initiated grant scheme aimed at promoting new technologies startup companies with less than a two-year post-registration existence and less than 10 employees could aspire to have 75 per cent of their total project cost reimbursed.

This was revealed at a media conference organised by the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) and Intel at Hotel Taj Samudra for the launch of the Grant Scheme of ICTA Friday (30).

The programme targets new business enterprises or those in the very early stages of development and aims at encouraging entrepreneurs island-wide to launch new technology products and/or services. Thus the programme promotes the launch of these products and services which are transformations of their new business ideas while addressing market gaps and assisting new ICT related innovations. Under the scheme registered technology businesses in Sri Lanka less than two years in existence and with less than 10 employees can apply for a grant. This grant will cover 75% of the total project cost or a maximum of USD 5,000 whichever is lower. With the grant the new companies can subsidise infrastructure, capacity building, business development and any other third party costs. ICTA informs that up to 20 such companies may be supported under this programme in stages.

ICTA Private Sector Forum looks ahead with great hope for national development

Friday, 23 October 2009 14:00

The ICTA Private Sector Forum expressed great hopes for the future National ICT development. This was brought into focus at the ICTA Private Sector Forum meeting held at Cinnamon Grand Hotel, Colombo recently (on October 13, 2009).

True to its theme ‘ICTA Programmes- Progress and Opportunities Ahead’ and its tagline ‘Towards a knowledge economy’ the forum took time to review the past year’s activities and consider the future involvement of the ICTA Private Sector Forum in national ICT development.

While ICTA Chairman Professor P. W. Epasinghe welcomed the participants, the review of the past year’s activities and plans for the future of the ICTA Private Sector Forum was presented by ICTA Re-Engineering Government Programme Head Dinuka Perera and the presentation on recent four ICTA-initiated ICT surveys - ICT Industry Survey, IT Work Force Survey, BPO Work Force Survey and ICT Usage in Business and the on “the ICTA Private Sector Program- Progress and Impact” were given by ICTA ICT Investment and Private Sector Development Programme Head Fayaz Hudah.

The audience was also given an overview of the IT-BPO career fairs by the presentation given by Indaka Raigama of the Regional Career Fair Committee. An important highlight of the meeting was the presentation by ICTA COO Reshan Dewapura which underlined what is in store for the people of Asia in e-Asia 2009 and gave a detailed update on the work done in preparation for e-Asia 2009 under the theme “e-Asia 2009 – Opportunities to engage”.

Representing the Ministry of Education which had done a great service for popularising the IT-BPO programme among school children, teachers and parents Director of ICT Division, Ministry of Education, Neil Gunadasa recapitulated the IT-BPO work with relevance to school children done from the NICS conference at BMICH Colombo in 2007 and thanked ICTA and the private sector for their contribution for the success in the endeavour.

The presentations were followed by valuable suggestions from the audience. A significant proposal was that Sri Lanka be represented as a country in important world ICT business promotion arenas.

At the end of the session four counters were kept open at the Oak room of the hotel for a while to give an opportunity for participants to interact with (1) ICTA in connection with e-Asia 2009 including booking of stalls at the e-Asia 2009 exhibition, (2) Messrs. MG Consultants (Pvt.) Ltd. and (3) Green Tech Consultants (Pvt.) Ltd. and (4) IT-BPO Career Fairs with their valuable suggestions / contributions.

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