SLINTEC partners with StartupX Foundry, Lanka Angel Network and Roar.lk to fuel startup program

Tuesday, 29 January 2019 01:56 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

StartupX Foundry Founder and LAN Chairman Mano Sekaram (centre left) shares the signed MoU with SLINTEC Chief Executive Officer Harin de Silva Wijeyeratne while others from left are Roar.lk Economic analyst Hakiem Hanif, STX Program Manager Aloka Gunasekara, LAN Founder Prajeeth Balasubramaniam and SLINTEC Head of Technology Transfer Dr. Rangika De Silva

Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology (SLINTEC), Sri Lanka’s leading nanotechnology and advanced technology institute, has recently signed an MOU (memorandum of understanding) with StartupXFoundry collaborating on a new program, ‘SLINTEC Startup Engine’, which will be launched on 7 February 2019. SLINTEC has also partnered with Lanka Angel Network (LAN) to provide opportunities for candidates of the Startup Engine to seek seed capital. Roar.lk has been working alongside SLINTEC as the media partner of the Startup Engine.

SLINTEC’s Startup Engine is a two-pronged program with an accelerator and incubator for projects in the science and technology sector. This program is the first of its kind in Sri Lanka. The accelerator provides the opportunity for entrepreneurs to take SLINTEC completed mature projects and launch them into the market. On the other hand, the incubator supports new ideas that can be nurtured and advanced.

SLINTEC startup engine differentiates itself from the others by providing access to state of the art equipment and laboratory facilities which are typically unavailable in the local context. In addition, it provides for tranquil incubation space in a coconut grove in Homagama with like-minded science and engineering resources to support young entrepreneurs. StartupXFoundry will provide the business mentoring, access to financing via the Lankan Angel Network and other similar fund managers providing for a pooling of expertise.

StartupXFoundry is a network of global partners that provides entrepreneurs with the necessary tools and mentoring they need to harness their creations to be successfully translated to market. LAN is a group with the purpose of bringing together Sri Lankan investors and entrepreneurs thus fuelling the start-up ecosystem. This partnership is proving to be very exciting for entrepreneurs that will now have the means to get scientific, technological, business, marketing and funding support as part of SLINTEC’s new Startup Engine program that aims to propel great ideas to commercialisation.

SLINTEC-Startup Engine is an unrivalled scheme that is not only exciting for entrepreneurs but will enable the rapid development of science, engineering and technology in Sri Lanka.