LIIN and Good Market forge strategic partnership to strengthen MSMEs

LIIN Chairman Chandula Abeywickrema (left) and Good Market Co-Founder and Managing Director Achala Samaradiwakara exchange the MoU signed between the two organisations

• Event includes panel discussion where entrepreneurs share experiences and challenges in scaling social enterprises

In a landmark move to accelerate the growth of impact-driven enterprises in Sri Lanka, the Lanka Impact Investing Network (LIIN) and Good Market recently entered into a strategic partnership focused on unlocking new pathways for investment and enterprise development. 

The collaboration was formalised through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 14 June at the Saturday Good Market Nuga Tree Car Park, Racecourse, Colombo 7.

At the signing ceremony, two major initiatives were introduced: the Social Enterprise Fund (SEF) and the Investment Readiness Program. Together, these initiatives aim to identify, support, and scale Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) that are driven by strong social and environmental impact goals. Through this collaboration, LIIN and Good Market are combining capital access, capacity-building, and ecosystem support to help high-potential enterprises grow sustainably and become investment-ready. 

The SEF is an initiative of LIIN. It is dedicated to supporting impact enterprises—businesses that address critical social or environmental issues—by providing much-needed growth capital at the acceleration stage of their business lifecycle.

The MoU was signed by LIIN Chairman Chandula Abeywickrema and Good Market Co-Founder and Managing Director Achala Samaradiwakara. The event celebrated a shared commitment to building a more inclusive, resilient economy by fostering enterprises that generate measurable positive impact.

Abeywickrema said: “Entrepreneurship needs to be scientifically approached to be impactful. Enterprises must be commercially viable in the short, medium, and long term; scalable in the short, medium, and long term; and sustainable in the short, medium, and long term. To fulfil these milestones in the journey of an enterprise or entrepreneur, it needs to embark on investing in research and development (R&D), and innovation is essential. However, R&D cannot be supported through bank loans or financing. You need to bring in patient capital with long-term collaboration for impact investing as equity for the enterprises, and this is the purpose of the partnership with Good Market. We aim to identify enterprises capable of achieving these three milestones and facilitate their growth through equity capital as an impact investment. These selected enterprises will be taken on a journey of mindset change and transformation, preparing them to become investment-ready, empowered and, eventually, listed.” 

Samaradiwakara emphasised the collaborative value of the initiative, saying: “This partnership brings together shared values and complementary strengths. By connecting impact enterprises with the resources and support they need to thrive, we’re helping to grow a movement of businesses that priorities people and the planet alongside profit.”

As part of the program, 10 impact entrepreneurs will be introduced as the first cohort of the Investment Readiness. Representing a diverse cross-section of sectors and communities across Sri Lanka, these enterprises will receive tailored support to scale their operations and prepare for potential investment through the SEF. 

The event also featured a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Nirmal De Silva, with panellists Ravinath Samaraweera (EcoFeel Foods), Jayantha Balasinghe (Thuru Viyana), and Priyanka (Priyanka Foods). The entrepreneurs shared personal insights into operating as social enterprises, the challenges of scaling their impact, and the vital role that strategic investment and support—particularly through LIIN and Good Market—have played in their journeys. 

This partnership brings together LIIN’s investment expertise and network of mission-aligned capital with Good Market’s global platform of curated enterprises and changemakers. Together, they aim to accelerate the transformation of Sri Lanka’s enterprise landscape by championing businesses that deliver both financial returns and long-term social and environmental value.

By advancing alternative financing models, improving enterprise readiness, and catalysing investment into underrepresented sectors, the LIIN-Good Market partnership sets a new benchmark for collaborative, purpose-driven development in Sri Lanka.