SLASSCOM, ICT Norway in joint effort to boost SL IT sector
View(s):In an effort aimed at helping Sri Lanka’s IT/BPM industry reach the US$5 billion mark by 2022, the country’s primary IT/BPO chamber, the Sri Lanka Association of Software and Service Companies (SLASSCOM) together with ICT Norway (IKT-Norge) have begun a fresh initiative to empower start-ups in the country.
SLASSCOM and ICT Norway have come together to offer Sri Lankan start-ups the unique opportunity to take part in the Oslo Innovation Week, which is scheduled next month. The event has gained recognition as the most interactive innovation conference in the world, according to a SLASSCOM media release.
Start-ups across Sri Lanka were given an opportunity at a pitching event organised by both the Sri Lankan and the Norwegian bodies on August 30. The start-ups with the most unique and innovative pitches were shortlisted and the top three winning companies are to be sponsored by ICT Norway to take part in the five-day Oslo Innovation Week in Norway from September 25 to 29.
Eight local start-ups – ShoutOUT Labs, Populo Pvt Ltd, Right Posture, Generation Epsilon (Pvt) Ltd, Veta (Pvt) Ltd, BotFactory, Nurone Labs and ConscientAI made their pitches in Colombo this week.
The release said that ICT Norway, the trade organisation for the Norwegian ICT industry, with the assistance of the Norwegian Embassy in Colombo has been at the forefront to help develop Sri Lanka’s ICT sector. In fulfilling this objective, ICT Norway and SLASSCOM have also partnered to initiate a unique program called ‘Kids Can Code’ which aims to help the younger generation in Sri Lanka to be more technologically creative and become experts in IT.
The tie up between SLASSCOM and ICT Norway to strengthen Sri Lanka’s ICT sector, is also seen as an effort to further enhance the bilateral relationship between the two countries. The programmes implemented in Sri Lanka, which are a result of a Memorandum of Understanding signed between ICT Norway and SLASSCOM in June 2016 are being financed by the Norwegian government. They focus mainly on empowering women and children as well as education and enhancing creativity through innovation. The MoU also paves the way for both bodies to come together and help modernise the maritime and fish farming industry in Sri Lanka by utilising technology in an innovative way, the release said.