Page 4 - Final Newsletter

Key Initiatives

SLASSCOM’s Product and Platform Council

to play catalyst role in encouraging the

creation of world-class tech products

The Sri Lanka Association of Software and Services
Companies (SLASSCOM), recently launched a
Product and Platform Council (PPC), which aims
to become an important catalyst in inspiring and
encouraging innovation and creation of technology-
centric products in Sri Lanka for the local and global
market.

The PPC will unite individuals and companies in
Sri Lanka who possess a great track record for
creating and marketing exceptional technology-based
products and platforms and also encourage startups
and SMEs, who possess the ability to create unique
technology products. The initiative holds the potential
to help boost the country’s economy through revenue
from product sales, new investments, and increase in
employment, whilst bringing global recognition as a
destination for innovation and IP creation. Director Operations of SLASSCOM Shevan
Goonetilleke explained that the PPC creates a plat-

form to bring together product experts, people who
are passionate about product development as well
as companies which have been successful in the
past for creating such products and attracting global
customers. Goonetilleke said that PPC will come
together to focus at length on potential challenges
that the industry faces including barriers around
policy, infrastructure and funding related matters
if its goal is to be fulfilled. “Ultimately, by executing
a well-structured pro-gram, we want to influence
government policy, among other areas,” he added.

SLASSCOM’s PPC will also take steps to facilitate a
multitude of industry forums, workshops and panel
discussions to impart insights in relation to meeting
the objective of the Council in ensuring new products
are created targeting the global market. PPC will
organize several focus areas that will actively work
towards improving relevant policy and infrastructure
Chairman of SLASSCOM Channa Manoharan through dialogue with the government and related
believes that this initiative will be the stepping- stakeholders, execute programs that would foster
stone towards ensuring and establishing Sri Lanka’s creativity and encourage idea generation and also
reputation in creating world-class products and improve skills around product engineering, product
platforms. “IP creation currently contributes to 5% management, and product marketing. There will also
of Sri Lanka’s IT-BPM export value. We believe be efforts that would focus on helping companies
Sri Lanka has the potential to push this contribution build brand presence globally and tap into global
to a much higher value and the PPC will play an funding sources.
important role in achieving this” he said.

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