Dialog’s Idea Mart partners with Lankan Angel Network-Venture Engine
Monday, 7 April 2014 00:17
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Enables software developers to transform ideas into business successes by adding funding and mentoring capabilities to this innovative business model
Local angel fund Lankan Angel Network has come together with Dialog’s Idea Mart ICT developer platform, to enable software developers who have already taken advantage of Idea Mart’s innovative business model to take the next step and access funding and mentoring to transform their apps into business successes.
The pioneer in the area of angel investments locally, the Lankan Angel Network is also the organiser of Venture Engine, a competition which has to date seen over a dozen startups funded.
As such, this newly minted partnership between the Lankan Angel Network-Venture Engine and Dialog’s Idea Mart not only empowers the developer/entrepreneur by allowing them to access a simple, template-driven app development process, giving them the ability to utilise USSD, SMS alerts/updates and mobile payment integrations to create revenue-generating apps. But it also now goes further, by providing the developer/entrepreneur with the funding and mentoring needed to turn ideas into true business successes.
Interested in submitting an app for consideration for Venture Engine? Visitwww.venturenegine.lk/ideamart.php for more information. Apps must be submitted on or before 20 April 2014, to stand a chance to compete in Venture Engine.
It is also noteworthy that this new partnership is part of the Lankan Angel Network’s ongoing, strategic commitment to the ICT sector, which is now the exclusive focus of the angel investor’s dedicated ICT cluster. By more actively engaging with the Idea Mart developer/entrepreneur community, this program plans to enhance and widen the level of investment in the ICT sector, which is one with great future potential.
Sharing his thoughts on this partnership, Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, Director/Group Chief Executive Officer of Dialog Axiata PLC, said: “Since its inception in 2012, Dialog’s leading edge Open Development environment Idea Mart, has grown rapidly in terms of the quality of innovation and breadth of services created. Today, the Idea Mart service creation community counts over 1,000 Sri Lankan innovators who have in turn brought to market a portfolio of over 2,000 services and applications, which are subscribed to by a growing base of Dialog Customers.”
“Today, over 350,000 retail and enterprise consumers engage with the Idea Mart community creating vibrant returns for our innovative service creators. In tandem with Idea Mart’s growth we are extremely privileged to partner with Venture Engine, which has broken new ground in Sri Lanka with respect to the creation of a start-up venture funding eco-system. The partnership between Venture Engine and Dialog will aim to provide Idea Mart innovators with the opportunity to upscale proven ideas and revenue generating services, into sustainable businesses,” added Dr. Wijayasuriya.
Said Mano Sekeram, ICT Cluster Member, Lankan Angel Network: “Considering the great many options available to young IT professionals in Sri Lanka, it is important we provide alternatives to those who are brave enough to strike out on their own at a very early stage. While Dialog’s Idea Mart provides the platform, we at the Lankan Angel Network are proud to offer the funding and mentoring, and even global networking and access, required for apps to thrive worldwide.”
Also commenting, Dinesh Saparamadu, Chief Executive Officer, hSenid Mobile Solutions Ltd., said: “It’s great to see LAN and Idea Mart partner, as this will create the next generation of mobile entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka with Idea Mart platform enabling to create the next innovative mobile company. With Idea Mart opening up network services and providing the environment and tools to build diverse Telco applications, we can envision a new wave of young entrepreneurs with this partnership, who will be empowered to swiftly convert their business ideas into revenue generating services.”
