Forward Newsletter - Issue 21 | Page 3

Dear Colleagues, SLASSCOM, as the catalyst of the IT/BPM industry, currently is striving with the key focuses on Building workforce capacity, Branding Sri Lankan IT/BPM Industry, Encouraging Entrepreneurship, Enabling Asset an owning knowledge workforce and Building regional capacity for inclusive growth. The first quarter of the year 2016 has been rewarding and encouraging to the IT/BPM industry. The 2016 National budget strongly indicates the government’s focus on entrepreneurship and country branding for IT/BPM export industries, which is a positive sign that supports sustainable development. We announce the launch of the report on the overview of Sri Lankan Start-up ecosystem, which will provide valuable insights based on a survey conducted with around 300 respondents including entrepreneurs, investors and institutions. You can read more about this on the SLASSCOM website and in the articles published in this issue of ‘Forward’. The visit of the CEO of National Outsourcing Association (NOA) of UK was an opportunity to position Sri Lankan IT/BPM brand as well as to strengthen the network we have with the UK counterparts. Recently, SLASSCOM partnered with Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA), Export Development Board (EDB), Ministry of Education (MoU) and University of Peradeniya to launch the Kandy IT/BPM week 2016. This is the second regional event organized by SLASSCOM, keeping in line with the objective of regional capacity building for the IT/BPM industry. I invite all of you to extend your support to this initiative taking place from the 10th to 12th of June 2016. Chairman, Mano Sekaram