MoUs with tech giants will help innovation - Minister Harin

Omobio opens new head-office:

MoUs with global tech giants such as Google, Microsoft, Ericsson, Oracle and Huawei during the past year to develop research and innovation centres, will help young entrepreneurs to take their products to the international stage, Minister of Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure, Harin Fernando told guests at the opening of the new head-office of Omobio (Pvt) Limited in Colombo 4.

Omobio (Pvt) Limited is an IT solutions provider to the telecom industry.

IGP Pujith Jayasundara was the guest of honour. Many industry experts from local telecom operators and IT companies were also present. Outlining the progress made by the Ministry of Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure, Minister Harin Fernando said, "By next year, we hope to build 100 digital classrooms, providing students from Grade 9 and above, tablets and keypads, thereby encouraging them to start coding from that age itself. This will contribute to our goal of creating a knowledge-based economy.

"We don't want our graduates to migrate to greener pastures. We want them to stay in Sri Lanka and contribute towards this knowledge-based economy. That is one of the reasons we signed MoUs with global tech giants such as Google, Microsoft, Ericsson, Oracle and Huawei during the past year.

"We signed these agreements to develop research and innovation centres and carry out student exchange programs. The innovation centres will act as incubators and accelerators for young entrepreneurs to take their products to the international stage.

"While we produce some of the best software in the world, we need to market ourselves better globally. One of the many steps we have taken is to appoint BPO/KPO ambassadors to India. We've also appointed an ambassador to make inroads into Silicon Valley, which resulted in Sri Lanka obtaining the Google Loon project."

CEO of Omobio, Eranga Weeraratne said, "From humble beginnings in 2011, Omobio has made rapid progress over the course of the past five years mainly due to two reasons. Firstly, it's because we have a passionate team of highly-skilled professionals and our valued partners.

Secondly, it's because we have wonderful customers who have always encouraged us not only by awarding us projects in Sri Lanka but also by recommending and proposing our solutions to their foreign contacts who in turn have become our customers." Weeraratne said his partner Sumith Gamage won the 'Best Emerging Entrepreneur' award presented by the Computer Science and Engineering Society of University of Moratuwa recently".