Business News

Five Sri Lankan startups take flight with Uber Springboard

Published

6 months ago

July 31, 2025

COLOMBO, July 31, 2025: Uber, the global ride-hailing and delivery platform, today concluded the second edition of Uber Springboard – an initiative designed to support the next generation of Sri Lankan entrepreneurs through mentorship, guidance, and international exposure. In collaboration with the Ministry of Digital Economy, Government of Sri Lanka, five promising startups were selected for a dedicated mentorship experience at Uber’s Tech Centre of Excellence in Hyderabad, India.

This year’s edition follows on the success of the inaugural edition last year, with a broader cohort and even stronger representation across sectors. After engaging with over 25 Sri Lankan startups, Uber’s leadership, along with external experts, selected five high-potential ventures for this immersive opportunity.

Hon. Eng. Eranga Weeraratne, Deputy Minister of Digital Economy, Government of Sri Lanka, said: “Uber Springboard is a strong example of the industry-government collaboration we strive to build in Sri Lanka’s innovation landscape. Startups are vital problem-solvers, and connecting them with experienced mentors gives them a stronger foundation to scale. I congratulate Uber for continuing to invest in our startup talent and helping unlock the creativity and ambition of our tech community.”

Uber Springboard 2025 Startup Cohort

AnyBanq: A digital banking marketplace helping users compare and apply for financial products across banks, while enabling banks to digitize and streamline customer onboarding.

PayMedia: A Fintech company delivering payment solutions across banking, finance, telecom, and startup sectors, while bridging legacy infrastructure with new-age financial technologies.

Helios P2P: A peer-to-peer lending platform that aims to expand access to credit by connecting borrowers and lenders through secure, tech-enabled credit assessment models.

Articom.io: An agentic AI platform helping businesses build, deploy, and manage intelligent customer support assistants, supported by a developer marketplace and enterprise-grade tools.

Ceylon Speechie: A MedTech venture offering web and mobile applications for children at risk of autism to access speech therapy services, with AI-enabled progress tracking and a global clinical network.

The selected startups will now travel to Uber’s Tech Centre of Excellence in Hyderabad for a week-long mentorship program that includes sessions on product development, growth strategy, fundraising, and team building. The initiative builds on Uber’s long-standing commitment to empowering Sri Lanka’s startup ecosystem.

Varun Wijewardene, Country Manager, Delivery – Uber Sri Lanka, said: “Uber has always believed in the power of entrepreneurship to drive meaningful change. With Springboard, we’re backing Sri Lankan startups not just with mentorship, but with exposure to real-world insights, practical tools, and industry perspective. This initiative reflects our commitment to nurturing local innovation and helping founders build for scale, resilience, and long-term success.”

Kaushalya Gunaratne, Country Manager, Mobility – Uber Sri Lanka, said: “Uber made a remarkable journey as a startup, so we understand both the grit and the guidance it takes to grow. That’s why we’re proud to support a new wave of Sri Lankan founders through Springboard – this year, across an even broader range of sectors. We’re grateful to the Ministry of Digital Economy for their partnership in making this possible, and excited to see how these entrepreneurs turn ambition into impact.”

Since launching in Sri Lanka in 2015 (Mobility: 2015 & Delivery: 2018), Uber has grown its presence across the island nation, and continues to invest in programs that enable mobility, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the region.

Business News

Dubai Based Sri Lankan Entrepreneur Launches Global Forex Marketplace

Published

3 weeks ago

January 2, 2026

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A visionary Sri Lankan entrepreneur based in Dubai has launched VerifiedBrands.io, a cutting-edge Forex Marketplace Ecosystem designed to bring transparency, trust, and regulatory compliance to the Global Forex industry.

The platform addresses one of the most critical challenges in online trading — the difficulty of finding legitimate and regulated brokers and financial service providers. VerifiedBrands.io connects traders, licensed Forex brokers, technology providers, and affiliates in a secure and trusted digital marketplace.

“Our mission is simple — to eliminate fraud and scams from the Forex industry and give traders, investors, and partners a reliable ecosystem where only regulated and verified companies are listed,” said Anthony, the founder of VerifiedBrands.io.

VerifiedBrands.io verifies and lists only Regulated Forex brokers and compliant financial technology providers, offering a single platform for:

Traders seeking trusted brokers and services

Companies looking for high-quality leads and exposure

Technology providers offering white-label solutions, trading infrastructure, CRM systems, Liquidity Solutions, Payment Gateways , API solutions

Affiliates and partners wanting to work with compliant, reputable firms

The platform also provides tools and resources to help traders and partners compare, connect, and collaborate confidently, making it a first-of-its-kind ecosystem for the Forex community.

With the global Forex industry estimated at over $6 trillion in daily trading volume, VerifiedBrands.io aims to build a safer, more transparent trading environment and empower investors and traders worldwide to make informed decisions.

For more information, visit www.VerifiedBrands.io

Business News

LB Finance to enter Philippines market through subsidiary

Published

1 month ago

December 18, 2025

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LB Finance PLC, a Sri Lankan Non-Bank Financial Institution (NBFI), has received regulatory approval from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka to establish a wholly owned subsidiary in the Philippines.

In a corporate disclosure to the Colombo Stock Exchange, the company said the Director of the Department of Supervision of Non-Bank Financial Institutions granted approval on 11 December to set up the subsidiary under the name LB Finance Philippines Inc.

Business News

Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council expresses solidarity with Sri Lanka

Published

2 months ago

December 2, 2025

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The Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) has conveyed its condolences to Sri Lanka over the loss of life and extensive damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah, urging all Commonwealth nations to support the country’s recovery as the scale of devastation continues to unfold.

In a statement signed by CWEIC Chairman Lord Marland and Deputy Chairman Lord Swire, the council said: On behalf of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, we extend our sincere condolences to the President and people of Sri Lanka for the tragic loss of life and the widespread destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah.

With the death toll now exceeding 300, hundreds more people missing, and thousands left without homes or livelihoods, the impact on your nation is devastating, and affecting all parts of the country.

As Commonwealth friends, we acknowledge the suffering that Sri Lanka has already endured through natural disasters; floods, droughts, landslides, and the 2004 tsunami.

Sri Lanka has survived through the extraordinary efforts of countless volunteers and ordinary people. Once again, we see this remarkable resilience and cooperation from Sri Lankans who are working to restore order, basic services, and supplies where possible.

We appeal to all Commonwealth countries to support the recovery efforts, and we will keep Sri Lanka in our thoughts and prayers at this difficult time. CWEIC has a significant presence in Sri Lanka, and our Strategic Partners stand ready to assist in any way we can during this difficult time. We will continue to support international efforts and appeal to Commonwealth nations to contribute to Sri Lanka’s recovery.