BOI Gateway launched to enhance investor experience

Treasury Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma (centre) with BOI Chairman Arjuna Herath (right) and BOI Director General Renuka Weerakone at the launch of BOI Gateway

– Pic by Lasantha Kumara

• User-friendly interface allows investors real-time tracking, to receive updates and communicate with BOI officers
• AI chatbot offers 24x7 support
• ‘Track Issues’ feature communicates project-related issues with investors, ensures faster resolution of delays, discrepancies
• Investors can review and adapt project plans to different site options

The Board of Investment (BOI) yesterday launched BOI Gateway, its in-house developed Online Investment Approval System and centralised digital platform created to streamline the investment application process. 

It allows investors to submit project and site applications online. The system is structured around three main areas: investor management, investor experience, and staff operations.

The BOI IT Department, with support and collaboration with other departments, designed, developed, and implemented this digital transformation effort.

The BOI said digitalising the application process will eliminate paper-based submissions, move away from the time-consuming and costly methods currently in use, and enable real-time tracking of applications.

The new system creates an ecosystem that connects and enhances interaction with the key interfaces. The Investor portal enables a smooth application process and real-time investor engagement with every aspect of business-related activities with the BOI. The Officer portal enables project officers to track project progress, resulting in increased transparency and efficiency. The third portal, the Management portal, provides system insights that empower management to make informed decisions and help the system operate more effectively.

This digital platform enables effective investor management by handling investor records, monitoring applications, and resolving any issues that may arise. 

The ‘Investor Experience’ offers a user-friendly interface where investors can track application statuses, receive updates, and communicate with officers. ‘Staff Operations’ empowers project officers to review applications, manage workloads, and monitor progress. Tasks are linked to performance metrics and measured with Key Performance Indicator (KPIs), making the process more transparent, efficient, and accountable.

The ‘Project Details’ section displays a list of investment applications with key information, such as the project name, investor, sector, status, and available actions. The system allows the tracking of submitted applications and highlights their current position in the approval process. The ‘View Roadmap’ option enables officers to see a live timeline of an investor’s application status, with visual indicators like blinking icons to show the current progress stage. The ‘Track Issues’ feature lets officers log and send project-related issues directly to investors, ensuring clear communication and faster resolution of delays or discrepancies.

To improve ease of doing business, an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based chatbot widget is integrated, providing real-time assistance for navigating the login process or answering questions about the system. The chatbot offers 24/7 automated support, with instant answers to common queries regarding application statuses, sector details, or navigation guidance. It uses a conversational interface with predefined responses. This ensures continuous support for investors, combining human interaction during active hours with automated help available anytime, enhancing the overall user experience.

The BOI explained that when an investor registers interest by selecting a sector within the Management dashboard, the system automatically directs them to the corresponding site application form. This form is customised based on the chosen sector and requires investors to provide details such as site location, land availability, and regulatory compliance relevant to their field.

For those interested in exploring site applications outside their selected sector or without restrictions, clicking ‘Show All Sectors’ expands the dashboard to display all available site applications across sectors. This feature allows investors to review and select alternative sites, giving them flexibility to adapt their project plans based on different site options and improving their decision-making process.

This system represents organic growth through in-house talent, demonstrating that the State sector can add significant value to the nation’s digital transformation efforts, ultimately saving millions for the country, the BOI said.