PwC and SLASSCOM join hands to empower start-ups in Sri Lanka
View(s):In a joint effort to empower start-ups in the country, PwC Sri Lanka has joined hands with SLASSCOM (Sri Lanka Association for Software and Services Companies) to introduce Sri Lanka to Europe’s largest and leading annual start-up and technology event, SLUSH, while also giving local start-ups a unique opportunity to help solve pressing challenges the world is facing today. PwC Sri Lanka and SLASSCOM organised the SLUSH Global impact accelerator 2016 – local competition to select the best Sri Lankan impact oriented start-up which will go on to take part at the international event to be held in Helsinki, Finland from November 22 to December 2, 2016, according to a SLASSCOM media release. SLUSH Global Impact Accelerator is a programme created in collaboration with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and multiple global partners including World Bank. The purpose is to create a leading global accelerator to support start-ups that are looking to solve some of the most pressing global challenges and contributing to the discussion on impact investing.
“SLUSH Global appointed PwC Sri Lanka as the exclusive hub manager for the SLUSH Sri Lanka event. The Sri Lankan leg of the competition was held on September 14 in Colombo, where out of a total of 22 applicants, 15 of the best startups selected by panel of judges took part in the local competition. The 15 startups were selected based on their individual and unique business concepts with the main criteria being that the start-up had a measurable positive impact on people, society or planet, and with the concept having the potential to scale and drive to succeed,” the release said. At the September 14 final pitching competition, three of the best teams were shortlisted and the final selection committee based in Helsinki will evaluate the best concept and choose the Sri Lankan winner after conducting interviews with the three shortlisted candidates.
The winner of the Sri Lankan competition will receive online pre-mentoring organised for all selected participants, along with access to various skill building workshops and capacity building programmes organized with leaders from across the world. The Sri Lankan winner will also have the opportunity to take part in the boot camp in Helsinki and industry specific matchmaking sessions co-organised with leading organisations of global repute. SLUSH will cover the transportation, accommodation and other programme related costs for the Sri Lanka winner which will also have access to the slush matchmaking tool for organizing 1-on-1 meetings with investors, apart from the opportunity to be featured in the Slush 100 Pitching Competition and Slush Impact Showcase.