Spike Community has partnered with Roar Global as its Venture Builder Partner, strengthening its monthly event platform for startups, founders, investors and entrepreneurship enthusiasts in Sri Lanka.

Active since 2014, Spike Community has built an informal but consistent space for founders, investors, technologists and ecosystem stakeholders to connect, exchange ideas and learn from one another’s experiences. Over the years, the community has contributed to Sri Lanka’s startup ecosystem by creating room for candid founder conversations, peer learning and practical insight-sharing outside traditional conference formats.

The partnership with Roar Global brings an operator and venture-building perspective into the Spike Community. As an APAC-based venture builder operating across marketing, platforms and AI, Roar Global will support Spike’s founder-focused programming by contributing practical insights on platform-led growth, AI adoption, market access and scaling beyond Sri Lanka.

Commenting on the partnership, Gayantha De Zoysa, Community Lead of Spike, said, “Spike has always been about bringing people in the startup ecosystem together in a setting that encourages open conversation, networking and shared learning. Having Roar Global come on board as Venture Builder Partner adds a strong operator perspective to the community, especially for founders looking at growth, market access and scale.”

Mustafa Kassim, Founder and CEO of Roar Global, added, “Roar Global’s evolution into a venture builder has been shaped by first-hand operating experience across markets, platforms and business models. That gives us a practical view of growth – not only how businesses find customers, but how they build the systems, talent and market readiness needed to scale. Our partnership with Spike gives us a meaningful way to engage with founders who are building with ambition, and to contribute perspectives that are grounded in real operating experience.”

The first joint event under the partnership was held on 28 April 2026 at Barefoot Gallery Café, under the theme “Breaking Through Barriers to Enter International Markets.” The session featured insights from Nithushan Uthayakumar of Blue Lotus 360, who shared his experience of entering the UK market from Colombo, and Mario Gooneratne of LinearSix, who brought perspective from over a decade of closing fintech deals within regulated banking environments.

The event brought together founders, operators and ecosystem stakeholders for a focused discussion on international growth, market access and scaling from Sri Lanka.

Spike Community

Spike Community is a monthly networking meetup for Sri Lankan startups, founders, investors, technologists and entrepreneurship enthusiasts. Founded in 2014, Spike has grown into a community-led platform for startup stories, founder learning and in-person ecosystem connection.

Roar Global

Roar Global is an APAC-based venture builder that builds, acquires and scales specialised companies across marketing, platforms and AI. The group operates through a portfolio of ventures focused on platform marketing, content and creator economy solutions, AI-enabled growth tools and professional employment services.

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Sri Lanka officially launched Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) 2025 under the inspiring theme ‘Together We Build,’ commencing a nationwide celebration of innovation, inclusion, and economic empowerment.

Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) is an annual worldwide movement celebrating innovators and entrepreneurs, promoting creativity, collaboration, and economic growth. This year, Sri Lanka continues the island’s engagement as part of the global network, with ICTA once again serving as the National Host Organization.

‘Together We Build’ champions the initiative to unite Sri Lanka’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, empower communities, and drive sustainable growth through innovation. GEW 2025 unfolds countrywide, and Sri Lanka is poised to amplify its voice on the global stage, advocating creativity, resilience, and collaboration.

The launch was held at Temple Trees on November 14th, 2025, under the distinguished patronage of Hon. Prime Minister, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya. The event renewed Sri Lanka’s commitment to cultivate entrepreneurship as a catalyst for national development.

Supporting the entrepreneurial spirit around the nation, parallel launch events were simultaneously held throughout all nine provinces, within the first two hours of the Colombo ceremony, including the Prime Minister’s keynote address, live streamed to all provincial venues, guaranteeing inclusive participation from every corner of Sri Lanka.

Commenting, Hon. Eng. Eranga Weeraratne, Deputy Minister, Digital Economy said, “Global Entrepreneurship Week Sri Lanka 2025 is a celebration of innovation and collaboration. By empowering entrepreneurs in every province, we are building the foundation for a digitally driven, inclusive economy where every Sri Lankan has the opportunity to create, connect, and grow. For the first time, we are launching Global Entrepreneurship Week simultaneously across all nine provinces ensuring that innovation is not limited to Colombo but embraced at every corner of our island. True progress happens when opportunity reaches everyone.”

Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, Chief Advisor to the President on Digital Economy and Chairman of ICTA, delivered the welcome address. Suresh de Mel, GEN Global Representative also spoke.

A special segment titled, ‘Empowering the Future: The Gig and Digital Economy’ showcased impactful private sector partnerships and financial empowerment initiatives for startups and SMEs. The panel discussion ‘The 2035 Playbook: How Sri Lanka Builds Its Next Era of Entrepreneurs’ focused on partnerships, innovation, and startup growth.

A thematic video screening captured the energy of GEW 2025 and previewed district-level activities, were followed by closing remarks, a media briefing, and networking.

The GEW Sri Lanka 2025 launch extended from ceremonial to an activated movement. It heralded a nationwide mobilization. This year, the initiative is targeting rolling out 900 events throughout the country in all 25 districts. The campaign aims to onboard 250 partners and engage over 30,000 participants islandwide, creating an unprecedented entrepreneurial engagement in Sri Lanka.

To achieve these ambitious targets, national partners joining the campaign include Vidatha, NEDA, SED, IDB, NYC, and NYSC. Notable, many other partners have already joined the movement demonstrating strong support.

The launch aims to strengthen Sri Lanka’s innovation and startup ecosystem, building a platform connecting entrepreneurs, investors, academia, and government. The initiative also ensures entrepreneurship opportunities reach grassroots level, with district-level committees working alongside ICTA to coordinate activities and engage local communities. The programme will engage students, startups, and business leaders through workshops, forums, and innovation showcases.

For more information on GEW Sri Lanka 2025 activities, visit https://gew.icta.lk/

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XpressJobs, Sri Lanka’s leading online recruitment platform, has been appointed as the Official Recruitment Partner for Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) 2025 for the second consecutive year.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed today at the Information Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) between Mr. Charith Kandamulla, GEW Program Director representing ICTA, and Dr. Oshadie Korale, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of XpressJobs, along with Mr. Tyner Fernando representing XpressJobs.

Organized by ICTA in collaboration with the Ministry of Digital Economy, GEW Sri Lanka 2025 celebrates the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship under the global theme “Together, We Build.” The initiative will feature 900+ events, 250+ partners, and over 30,000 participants across all 25 districts.

As the official recruitment partner, XpressJobs plays a vital role in helping emerging entrepreneurs and startups find the right talent to grow their businesses, strengthening the foundation of Sri Lanka’s startup ecosystem. The company also supports ICTA in mobilizing key resources for GEW activities, including volunteer recruitment, as part of its broader commitment to developing the country’s human capital.

“We’re honoured to continue partnering with GEW Sri Lanka to support the country’s growing community of entrepreneurs,” said Dr. Oshadie Korale, Co-Founder and COO of XpressJobs. “While GEW inspires people to start their ventures, we help those ventures hire the talent they need to thrive. Together, we’re building an ecosystem where innovation, opportunity, and growth go hand in hand.”

“GEW Sri Lanka has become a powerful platform that connects entrepreneurs, universities, corporates, and government agencies,” said Mr. Charith Kandamulla, Program Director of GEW Sri Lanka, representing ICTA. “XpressJobs’ continued partnership ensures that every great idea emerging through GEW has access to the people and skills needed to bring it to life.”

This collaboration between XpressJobs and ICTA underscores a shared vision, to empower entrepreneurship through opportunity, helping Sri Lanka build a future-ready, innovation-driven economy.

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