Dr. John Hoffmire: Hello Chalinda! I’m excited to have this opportunity to chat with you and catch-up. I’m first going to site some impressive numbers. You have been working with startups for over 15 years now, mentoring over 3,000 entrepreneurs and have helped launch over 50 startups across South and Southeast Asia. You also played a pivotal role in launching the first startup incubator in Sri Lanka after the civil war. Can you share what motivated you to take these steps and tell me a little bit about the impact they have had on the local entrepreneurial landscapes in the places you have worked?

Chalinda Abeykoon: It was completely accidental. Growing up admits a war, most of us didn’t dream of launching a startup – we wanted to escape to greener pastures. But when the war ended in 2009, it was safe to remain in Sri Lanka. However, 2009 also saw the financial crisis, which made it hard to find a job. I went to over 30 interviews across 20+ companies over a period of six months before I joined the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) of Sri Lanka. My job was to encourage more individuals to start businesses. That year, despite and perhaps because of the financial crisis, the US saw the largest number of startups emerge and I wanted to create a similar trend in Sri Lanka. Living through the civil war taught me about resilience and adapting to unexpected changes. When everything around you is uncertain, you learn to focus on what you can control. I had all the disadvantages to be successful – that’s the mindset I have. I look for founders with similar attributes of grit and flexibility, knowing they’ll bounce back from any challenge they face.

The incubator we created is now a thriving ecosystem that has nurtured over 200 startups, empowering individuals through the support we have given and the financial independence we have fostered for them. It’s gratifying to see many of these businesses contributing to Sri Lanka’s economy and inspiring a new generation of entrepreneurs.

John: You are now a Managing Partner at nVentures, which has a unique focus on startups from tier 2 and 3 cities across South Asia. Why do you think these founders bring something different to the table?

Chalinda: Founders from these regions often have firsthand insight into grassroots problems, which they aim to solve in a meaningful way. They’re not in it for the flash or the headlines but to build impactful solutions. Because we come from similar backgrounds, we connect with them and understand their motivations. Their creativity and drive are usually linked to making a tangible difference, and that’s exactly what we look to support.

John: You’ve encountered and overcome your own business failures. What personal lessons have these experiences taught you, and how do they inform your mentorship style?

Chalinda: Failure has been one of my greatest teachers. From losing money to partnering with the wrong people, I’ve had to rebuild from scratch a few times. I understand what it’s like to hit rock bottom. I also didn’t have a pre-built support ecosystem coming into this space. Hence, I can relate to most budding entrepreneurs. I encourage founders to view failures as learning moments. It’s not about avoiding mistakes but how you respond to them that defines your journey. Every person or challenge can teach you something valuable.

John: With so many startups vying for investment, how do you know when you’ve found a founder who truly stands out?

Chalinda: I look for founders who are both risk-takers and doers. Someone who has already faced challenges and has still pushed forward demonstrates resilience and focus. It’s also about the details—founders who understand the gritty details of their business and are actively solving problems, especially uncomfortable ones, always catch my attention. If they’ve faced failure but kept going, that tells me a lot about their character.

John: I understand that you and two other colleagues share your wisdom and experience with others through social media, specifically a podcast in Sri Lanka. I’d love to hear more about that.

Chalinda: Actually, the idea for this podcast came about while I was at Oxford. I realized that all over the world, Sri Lanka is known for several “T”s, such as tea, textiles, tourism, tsunami, and even terrorism. Despite gifting the world with some extraordinaries innovations, we’re not known for another “T”, technology. Even our own Sri Lankans living overseas know very little about the tech scene in Sri Lanka.

So, we created the Remarkable podcast, which aims to address this exposure gap. We want to celebrate the remarkable work done by Sri Lankans locally and globally. We believe these stories will inspire millions and help build a thriving community. But at a deeper level, we aim to solve a much bigger problem; the lack of diversity within the local startup ecosystem.

We’ve aired one season now where we have shared five stories of budding entrepreneurs. These stories aren’t remarkable because the founders are successful according to society’s standards. They’re remarkable for the sacrifices they make and the uncertainties they face daily. Yet, here they are, sharing their wisdom, mistakes and vision for a remarkable Sri Lanka.

John: I look forward to listening to your podcasts. I’m sure I’ll learn a lot. I remember when we first started talking about the Remarkables when you were in Oxford. I had the privilege of getting to know you when you were a Chevening Research, Science and Innovation Leadership Fellows (CRISP) at Oxford University in 2022. I’d love to hear about your experience as a CRISP fellow and how being a fellow has since influenced your work.

Chalinda: The Chevening CRISP Fellowship was simply life-changing. Just before I left Sri Lanka, the country went into a financial crisis. As a result, I couldn’t secure any money for the trip since the government imposed a foreign currency restriction. I received 25 pounds from a cousin of mine and landed at Heathrow airport with that money. I wasn’t ready or dressed for the cold, minus one weather. I took a bus to Oxford at 8.30PM and reached the hotel sometime past 10pm. The next day, I walked to Richards’s house to collect the cash card in the freezing cold. The first thing I did after activating the card was to buy a jack and a cup of coffee!

Oxford is truly a place designed to spur innovation, creativity and inclusion. It completely transformed my mindset and reinvented my perspectives; both personally and professionally. As I mentioned during my speech, there’s an old African Proverb “It takes a village a child”. But it takes a village like Oxford to raise a leader.

John: Chalinda, you are one of the people who I have taught over the last 13 years that I most want to watch into the future. I think the opportunities you face are astounding. And I hope you are going to have some real fun as you take your career forward.

Chalinda Abeykoon is the Managing Partner at nVentures PTE LTD and a Chevening CRISP Fellow at Oxford University 2022.

John Hoffmire is a Research Associate at the Oxford Centre for Mutual and Co-owned Business