GLX taking ‘GoodLife’ of Sri Lanka to the world

GLX Programme Director Randhula de Silva

GoodLife X (GLX) started its journey in 2018 after identifying that existing support activities and business development programmes for start-ups were heavily focused on pure tech solutions. 

GLX focuses on start-ups and SME (and/or tech-enabled) business models that can shape consumer behaviour and make significant contributions to solve ecological and social challenges, stemming from food and agriculture, wellness and travel, design, and energy sectors in Sri Lanka. 

Programme Director Randhula de Silva further emphasised that, “Most activities catering to the development of these sectors were in need of a serious paradigm shift. On the one hand, the disconnect between the highly talented tech enabled innovators and the entrepreneurs in the traditional sectors was wide and apparent. On the other hand, Asia‘s emerging middle class was signalling tremendous shifts in nutrition, urbanisation and technology, creating opportunities for a new breed of entrepreneurs. Innovative high impact ventures catering to the emerging middle class of Asia is the future of the world economy, and not enough focus has been given to them in Sri Lanka. This needs disruption and innovation.” 

GoodLife X is an ecosystem that provides a unique platform to support creative and engaged entrepreneurs and their sustainable business ideas in Sri Lanka. Absorbing the risk of entrepreneurs and enabling innovation through international knowledge and networks, market intelligence and funding opportunities is at the core of GLX’s focus areas.  

Interested companies are selected for individually tailored GLX business programmes, aimed to provide access to knowledge, expertise, collaborations, entrance into global markets, investment opportunities and funding. ​​With a focus on sectors in Food, Design, Travel and Wellness, GLX supports start-ups and mature companies in Sri Lanka through GLX Business Accelerator and GLX Garage programmes. 

The GLX Business Accelerator is a 16-week intense, rapid, and immersive business development programme that offers a combination of training, mentorship, and seed financing for early start-ups. The programme also focuses on helping founders of the companies in scaling their products, improving internal and external processes, and expanding the reach of their products and services across regions and continents.  

GLX was initiated and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH- SME Sector Development Programme in cooperation with the Noah Foundation in Berlin, on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). 

In response to Covid-19’s impact on businesses and the economy, the “Stay good in Business” programme was launched and followed up by the GLX Garage program as a tailormade 5-month programme for sustainable-minded SME’s in the Travel, Wellness, Food and Design sectors to improve business through marketing strategy, push into new markets and international partnerships.

In its latest venture, GoodLife X partnered with Sri Lanka Tourism Alliance to initiate the ‘Grants for Tourism Resilience’ programme to assist SME’s in the tourism industry. This unique programme was designed to guide SME’s in successfully navigating the changing environment and adapting to new markets by identifying and leveraging opportunities brought on by the current global crisis.