Sri Lanka@100, with support from the United States, hosted a public webinar featuring Paul D. Roberts, an expert in methods for companies and entrepreneurs to leverage evolving technologies such as artificial intelligence to drive accelerated business growth. Attended by 300 participants, the session focused on how businesses can shape Sri Lanka’s economic future in a complex and rapidly changing environment.
“This concept of exponential growth is critical in helping Sri Lanka achieve high-income status so it can better compete on the world stage. With initiatives like Sri Lanka@100, the United States is helping Sri Lankan firms to effectively navigate current challenges, become more resilient, and increase profits and employment,” said Debra Mosel, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Deputy Mission Director for Sri Lanka and the Maldives
SL@100 co-founder and Stax Managing Director Ruwindhu Peiris emphasized the vital importance of programs such as this to help build Sri Lanka’s future: “At Sri Lanka@100, we believe that when a large share of companies and individuals in our country starts thinking innovatively about ways to leverage emerging technologies, we will start to see transformational growth. SL@100 is helping to put ideas into action to create the next generation of high-income Sri Lankan businesses.”
SL@100 is a private sector-led business development platform that was launched in 2020 with support from USAID. This initiative works with high potential small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to optimize internal operations, enhance product portfolios, access new markets, and attract capital to help Sri Lanka become a high-income country within 100 years of independence.
Under Round one, SL@100 has chosen seven firms as their portfolio companies that consisting of Randeepa Agrarian (Pvt) Ltd, DD Atukorala Group (Pvt) Ltd, Lanka Spice (Pvt) Ltd, Saaraketha Holdings (Pvt) Ltd, Industrial Stainless Steel Fabrications (Pvt) Ltd, UHE Exports (Pvt) Ltd and InsureMe Insurance Brokers (Pvt) Ltd representing a diverse set of stakeholders across the Island.
The Webinar and seminar series is part of ofSL@100’s capacity-building efforts and is open to a broad audience of SMEs, entrepreneurs, and young leaders. The Exponential Growth webinar was supported by leading Sri Lankan organizations and businesses, including NDB Bank, SLASSCOM, AMCHAM, Daily FT, and the CFA Society of Sri Lanka.