Business
ALT X assigned by international SaaS startup Serviceform for brand strategy development
Altered Experience (ALT X), Sri Lanka’s award-winning digital, data, and design thinking partner for the connected age, has been selected to develop end-to-end brand strategy and complete brand marketing toolkit for Serviceform, the international Software as a Service (SaaS) startup.
Serviceform is one of the fastest growing marketing automation companies with offices in Finland, Spain, Sweden and Sri Lanka with expansion plans in UK, Italy and France next year. Founded in Finland in December 2017 by Iranthi Gomes and Jarkko Oksanen, Serviceform is a platform which engages, interacts with and leads its website visitors into qualified sales through conversations. The platform facilitates its services through online chatbots and dynamic forms which are automated conversations. Securing over 3 million euros in funding, Serviceform tools are applied and used by over 2,500 websites across the globe. The company’s 500+ clientele includes prominent brands from sectors such as real estate, insurance, e-commerce, travel and banking (amongst other categories). Serviceform also differentiates itself on a unique capability for customized solutions for clients.
Kabeer Rafaideen – Founding CEO of ALT X stated, “This is a significant milestone for ALT X as Serviceform is an exciting company that is making waves in the tech space as one of the fastest growing marketing automation companies in the world. We are excited to be working closely with Serviceform to develop their end-to-end brand strategy & toolkit. This partnership is further evidence of our growing standing in both the local and international arena and our ability to use the principles of design thinking to deliver solutions that create viable business results.”
ALT X decodes data driven insights to create transformational change. Using Design Thinking, the company develops a deeper understanding of clients’ audiences, challenging the norm and assumptions, reframing and redefining problems to identify strategies and solutions for businesses and delivering viable results. Specialising in the unique vertical for Sustainability based marketing and technology solutions (a capability bolstered by their group affiliation with The Climate and Conservation Consortium and The Sustainable Future Group), ALT X creates a diverse range of solutions that range from data visualizations, communications solutions, conceptualization and development of basic tools to AI and Data powered engines and interfaces.
CEO and Co-Founder of Serviceform is Sri Lankan-born and Finnish-based entrepreneur Iranthi Gomes who has made into ‘Forbes magazine’s 30 Under 30 Europe’ list in 2022. She stated, “As a Sri Lankan who co-founded a global tech company, I am proud to be able to team up with a Sri Lankan company that is making waves in their space. We required the services of a company that has the ability to think differently and the technical expertise to action it to our satisfaction. I am confident that ALT X will deliver outstanding results in our attempts to elevate the brand image of Serviceform.”
Jarkko Oksanen – CTO and Co-Founder of Serviceform commented, “Serviceform helps companies around the world generate more leads and automate customer support by automatically integrating the best tools into your website to help your customers get in touch. Operating from three offices, we have over 200+ customers around the world. Teaming up with ALT X to enhance our brand is the newest step in our journey to accelerate our marketing efforts globally. We look forward to working closely with the ALT X team in achieving these goals.”
ALT X has successfully delivered world-class solutions for clients and thereby won international acclaim. ALT X’s client portfolio includes brands such as Westinghouse, Traffi UK, Kodak, Ava Water in Saudi Arabia, Rainco Sri Lanka, AXIA UK, Elle & Eswaran Brothers.
Business
SLT-MOBITEL driving Sri Lanka’s economic resilience through digital infrastructure
Corporate accolades underscore the alignment between its operational excellence and national development
In an era where national competitiveness is intrinsically tied to digital connectivity, strengthening the country’s digital backbone has become an urgent priority. Within this context, the evolving role of Sri Lanka’s leading telecommunications provider, SLT-MOBITEL, offers valuable insight into how technological infrastructure can underpin broader economic resilience.
Telecommunications and digital networks are foundational to economic transformation. By expanding high-speed broadband access, upgrading enterprise cloud capabilities, and bridging the urban-rural connectivity divide, SLT-MOBITEL helps reduce business transaction costs, streamline supply chains, and enable micro, small, and medium enterprises to reach global markets.
Recent corporate accolades further underscore this alignment between operational excellence and national development. SLT-MOBITEL’s triple triumph at the National Business Excellence Awards 2026 – winning in the Infrastructure and Utilities sector, Performance Management, and ICT Services categories – highlights its growing impact. Notably, the recognition of eChannelling’s contributions to digital healthcare reflects a broader strategic pivot toward integrated technology solutions.
“Institutional efficiency of this nature is critical for attracting foreign direct investment, as global partners increasingly assess a country’s digital maturity and systemic stability before committing capital,” noted industry observers.
Moreover, the company’s transition from a conventional telecom utility to a comprehensive digital solutions provider aligns seamlessly with Sri Lanka’s national digitalisation agenda. As the country pursues public sector modernisation, enhanced e-governance, and a competitive knowledge economy, the private sector must step up to deliver secure, scalable, and future-ready networks. Investments in data centres, cybersecurity frameworks, and advanced ICT infrastructure act as strategic buffers, ensuring that Sri Lanka’s economic apparatus remains agile and resilient amid future global uncertainties.
However, industry experts caution that while these achievements are commendable, SLT-MOBITEL still has a considerable distance to cover in fully enabling a truly digital economy.
Business
Port City Colombo strengthens Gulf investment ties at Dubai diplomatic engagement
Port City Colombo (PCC) took a prominent role as Platinum Sponsor at the second edition of Sri Lanka Beyond Your Dreams, a high-level diplomatic and investment engagement hosted by the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Dubai and the Northern Emirates. The event, held on 2nd September 2026 at the Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor City, brought together over 400 senior UAE-based business leaders, investors, diplomats, and institutional stakeholders, alongside Sri Lanka’s most senior government representatives.
The gathering was graced by Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, as Guest of Honour, and Vijitha Herath, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism. A high-level Sri Lankan delegation – including the Secretary to the Prime Minister, the Chairman of the Board of Investment, the Chairman of the Export Development Board, and the Director General of Commerce – underscored the government’s strong commitment to deepening economic diplomacy with the UAE.
In his keynote address, Minister Herath reaffirmed the centuries-old ties between Sri Lanka and the Arab region, emphasising the UAE’s vital role as a key economic partner. He stressed the urgency of finalising a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the UAE, which would establish a robust framework to elevate trade, investment, and bilateral cooperation. Declaring Sri Lanka “open and ready for business,” he positioned Port City Colombo as the physical embodiment of this economic mission – a modern Special Economic Zone (SEZ) with a dedicated legal framework and competitive incentives, offering UAE investors a natural gateway to South Asia while maintaining strong Gulf connectivity.
Business
American Premium Water strikes Gold at Dragons of Sri Lanka 2026
American Premium Water has secured four wins at Dragons of Sri Lanka Awards 2026, including three Gold Dragons and one Black Dragon, marking a significant milestone for the brand following its relaunch last year.
Part of the prestigious Dragons of Asia awards, Dragons of Sri Lanka brings the program’s regional platform to the local market, celebrating creative and effective marketing communications, with entries evaluated on strategic thinking, creativity, execution and impact. Established in 2000, Dragons of Asia is one of Asia’s premier results-driven marketing awards programs.
For American Premium Water, the achievements are particularly significant given that the company’s debut at the Dragons awards has resulted in four Dragons across four categories. In the distinction of Gold Dragons, American Premium Water was recognized across three categories including Product Launch or Re Launch, Cause, Environment or Sustainability and Creative Excellence while the Black Dragon was awarded in recognition of Small Budget.
Competing alongside leading brands and agencies in Sri Lanka, American Premium Water’s four wins demonstrate the strength and effectiveness of its recent work. Winning three Gold Dragons across three distinct categories highlights the breadth of the brand’s achievements, while the Black Dragon for Small Budget further emphasizes its ability to create meaningful impact through focused and efficient investment.
-
News6 days agoNamal remanded until Sept. 18 over Airbus deal investigation
-
Latest News5 days agoTharanga creates history with Diamond League crown in Brussels
-
News5 days agoDispute which triggered listed company director being detained at BIA resolved
-
Features4 days agoAfter the parade: What a traffic OIC’s walk-out tells us
-
Opinion7 days agoIn Memory of Dr Upatissa Pethiyagoda
-
Editorial6 days agoPower vs Equality
-
Editorial4 days agoArrests as theatre
-
Latest News4 days agoHarshitha’s composed knock seals Sri Lanka’s semi-final berth
