Venture Engine shortlists ‘Sri Lanka’s Top Fundable Start-ups’
Venture Engine, Sri Lanka’s pioneering start-up acceleration programme, has entered the final phase of its 10th edition with the selection of its top 10 grouping of finalists. The programme’s next, and final, stage is the showcasing of these finalists to potential investors as “Sri Lanka’s Top Fundable Start-ups” at the Venture Engine finale, which is slated for February 23.
“Sri Lanka’s Top Fundable Startups” representing the 10th edition of Venture Engine include one-to-one online tutoring platform Tutopiya (EdTech); peer-to-peer lender Helios (FinTech); ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ platform, Mint Pay (FinTech); Non Fungible Token (NFT) marketplace Hyperglade (Web 3.0); and home improvement services, like plumbing, carpentry, domestic help, etc, accessible online via Better App (Consumer), Venture Engine said in a media release.
Additionally, the “Sri Lanka’s Top Fundable Start-ups” group of finalists will be rounded out by SaaSbased enterprise front office visitor tracking and management software HireTrace (SaaS); plastic recycler Chakra Sutra; SaaS-based Insurance software, Surecore (SaaS); sports coaching platform Knod Corp PTE; and palm based products maker Palm2Go (Consumer).
Having survived several weeks of exhaustive preparation, including multiple rounds of pitching and filtering, as well as six workshops on vital topics like business plans, valuations and funding cycles, Go To Market strategies, and financial and legal essentials; these finalists are now highly prepared to make their final pitches to the high-powered gathering of local and international investors expected to attend the program’s finale.
Venture Engine is geared towards helping innovative and scalable startups solve a genuine pain point. It is founded by BOV Capital and the Indian Angel Network, and partnered by the Lankan Angel Network (LAN). The Ford Foundation is the tenth edition’s Platinum Sponsor.
Since it first kicked off 10 years ago, Venture Engine has become Sri Lanka’s most successful platform for accelerating, and growing, the country’s most promising new business ideas. Over a thousand Sri Lankan start-ups have been vetted and mentored by this programme since its launch in 2012. To date, the Venture Engine programme has attracted Rs. 2 billion+ in funding for 35 of Sri Lanka’s most exciting start-ups. Some successful Venture Engine start-ups include InsureMe, Roar, ZigZag.lk, Takas.lk, Saraii Village, Stripes & Checks, Skrumptious, Kimbula Kithul, Strive, PlushBox, Nithya, Extrogene, OMAK Technologies, LiveRoom, Intellocut, BusSeat.lk, IgniterSpace, House of Lonali and 24-7 Techies.