Back in 2018, we saw the arrival of a global startup initiative to Sri Lanka. Held inside the Dialog Auditorium, the first edition of Startup Grind Colombo saw Cofounder and CEO of 99X Technology, Mano Sekaram sharing his journey through life as an entrepreneur. In 2019, at its second edition, we saw the cofounders of Hatch, Brindha Selvadurai and Jeevan Gnanam sharing what they had learned building, ‘a hub for all things startup.’ As it returns for its third edition, Startup Grind Colombo promises to shine the spotlight on another prominent business leader who recently made the headlines.
Hailing from Silicon Valley, Startup Grind is a decade old initiative and is one of the largest independent startup communities in the world. Its goal is to actively educate, inspire, and connect over 1 million entrepreneurs in 250+ cities. To achieve this, Startup Grind works to nurture startup ecosystems through events, media, and partnerships with organizations like Google for Entrepreneurs.
The signature event of Startup Grind is its fireside chats. These events feature successful local founders, innovators, educators and investors who share lessons learned on the road to building great companies. Since its founding in 2010, the initiative has hosted 5,000 fireside chats globally. Every year, the initiative also dedicates the month of May to recognize the accomplishments of successful women leaders under the banner of #SGWomen.
While the pandemic may have disrupted previous plans, the organizers of Startup Grind Colombo are a determined bunch. The third edition of this initiative in Sri Lanka, will be held under the theme of #SGWomen. Taking the spotlight will be the new Group CEO of Hemas, Kasturi Chellaraja Wilson, who is the first female Group CEO of a Sri Lankan Conglomerate.
Having joined Hemas in 2002, Kasturi’s career at the conglomerate spans 2 decades. Rising through the ranks, she became the Chief Process Officer. In 2011 she led the aviation, travel, and mobility arms of the Hemas Group. In 2016, she was appointed as the Managing Director of Hemas Pharmaceuticals. Needless to say, exploring Kasturi’s long journey will have valuable lessons for everyone aspiring to be a leader.
Registrations for the upcoming third edition of Startup Grind is open. Give the current situation and in line with health regulations, the event will be a Zoom webinar. The third edition of Startup Grind Colombo kicks off tomorrow at 4 PM. Click here to register now because this is one webinar that you don’t want to miss.