Groundbreaking Digital Hub Launched for Mentoring and Investment Opportunities for Entrepreneurs
The Gate Institute has launched an electronic platform called Gate for Innovation Venture and Entrepreneurship (GIVE). It aims to provide mentoring and investment opportunities to entrepreneurs in war-affected and underserved communities in Sri Lanka and create investment opportunities for them.
The initial development of www.give.community, which has been underway for the past 18 months, was completed, and its official launch was held on 25 November 2024 at the Technopark of the Eastern University, Sri Lanka, in Batticaloa, in collaboration with Eastern University, Sri Lanka and Tamil Ventures, LP, USA.
Professor Jayantha Lal Ratnasekera, Governor of Eastern Province, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. In his speech, Professor Jayantha Lal Ratnasekera stated that he hopes many investors will make significant contributions to development in the Eastern Province by investing in entrepreneurship through the GIVE platform.
Prof. V. Kanagasingam, Vice Chancellor of Eastern University in Sri Lanka, and Prof. A. Atputharajah, vice chancellor of the University of Vavuniya in Sri Lanka, attended the event as guests of Honour.
Dr M. Arumugam, Chairman of the Startup Committee of Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Fund Management Corporation, India, delivered the keynote speech, while Prof. Ranjith Dissanayake, Immediate Past President of the Institute of Engineers, Sri Lanka, delivered the Guest speech.
Emeritus Professor T. Jayasingam, Former Vice Chancellor, Eastern University, Sri Lanka and Professor S.A. Ariadurai, Former Vice Chancellor of the Open University of Sri Lanka, participated as distinguished speakers.
Dr Senthan Selvarajah, CEO and Co-Founder of The Gate Institute, Uk/Sri Lanka, Mr Jayaraj Kulasekaram, Co-Founder and Board Member of The Gate Institute, UK/Sri Lanka, Mr. Sathasivam Mangaleswaran, Co-Founder and Board Member of The Gate Institute, UK/Sri Lanka, Mr Parthipan Paramsothy, Co-Founder and Managing Partners, Tamil Venture LP, USA, Mr Thillai Kumaran, Co-Founders and Managing Partners, Tamil Venture LP, USA,Ms. Mathangie Selvarajah, Director, The Gate Institute, Sri Lanka, Professor Niranjana Rodney, Faculty of Agriculture Eastern University, Sri Lanka, Mrs Mathivathany Sasitharan, Department of Project Management, University of Vavuniya, Sri Lanka, Mr SAN, Rajkumar, Lecturer, City University, UK and President, UK Tamil Chamber of Commerce, Dr Sabesan Sithamparanathan, Co-founder and CEO of PervasID and Enterprise Fellow at Girton College, Cambridge University, Prof. Kanes Rajah, Executive Director, Centre for Executive and Professional Development, UK and Senior Academic and RAU Chair in Entrepreneurship Royal Agricultural University, UK, Mr Thaksan Sothinathan, Senior Consultant at McKinsey Digital and Team Leader at comdu.it, Germany, Mr. Anu Rakavan, Manager, University Business Linkage (UBL) Cell, University of Jaffna, Thesapanthu M. Selvarajah, Chairman & Managing Director, Hotel East Lagoon, Batticaloa, Dr Rodney Fernando, Director, Centre for Multidisciplinary Research, Eastern University, Sri Lanka, and Roshani Jennifer Joseph, Founder Joseph’s Foundation (Pvt) Ltd, Kandy, Sri Lanka, also spoke at the event.
Speakers at the event emphasised that entrepreneurs should utilise the full potential of GIVE, developed by The Gate Institute, to access the knowledge and investment opportunities necessary for entrepreneurship through digital technology and that academics, experts, professionals, and investors should also join the GIVE platform’s Supervising Community and Investors Community to help entrepreneurs realise their ideas.
Over 200 entrepreneurs from the Eastern Province participated in the event.
