XELERATE’26 | Kickoff Session
August 5, 2026 · 9:15 AM - 11:15 AM @ Auditorium, Faculty of Graduate Studies, Ratmalana, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University
Description
The XELERATE’26 Kickoff Session , held on 5th August 2026 , officially launched the entrepreneurship program by introducing participants to its vision, objectives, structure, and upcoming activities. The session featured an interactive panel discussion moderated by Mr. Lithila Herath, Co-Chair of XELERATE’26 , with insights from Dr. Kanishka Weeramunda , Founder & CEO of PayMedia and DirectPay and Board Director of Fintech Forum Sri Lanka; Mr. Nikin Matharaarachchi , Founder & CEO of Synapse AI Labs and Forbes Asia 30 Under 30; and Dr. Philip Nehri Mullegama , Former CEO of Chandanalepa Ayurveda Cosmetics. The discussion explored entrepreneurial journeys, challenges in building startups, taking the first step as a university entrepreneur, early-stage priorities, entrepreneurial qualities, mindset, credibility, and scaling ventures . The session aimed to provide students with practical exposure to entrepreneurship, encourage them to explore and develop their ideas, and foster a solution-oriented entrepreneurial mindset. The session successfully provided participants with real-world insights and practical guidance on entrepreneurship , encouraging them to move from ideas towards identifying problems, developing solutions, and building viable ventures. It also prepared participants for the upcoming expert-led sessions and XELERATE’26 Pitching Competition .
Agenda
Event Opening 2:30 PM KDU Anthem 2:30 PM - 2:32 PM Remembering War Heroes 2:32 PM - 2:33 PM Lighting Oil Lamp 2:33 PM - 2:50 PM Welcome Speech 2:50 PM - 2:55 PM Keynote Speaker 2:55 PM - 3:07 PM Recap to Xelerate’ 25 3:07 PM - 3:10 PM Official Launch of Xelerate’26 3:10 PM - 3:20 PM Entertainment Item 3:20 PM - 3:25 PM Panel Discussion 3:25 PM - 4:25 PM Token of Appreciation 4:25 PM - 4:35 PM Speech by Dean FOC 4:35 PM - 4:40 PM Vote of Thanks 4:40 PM - 4:45 PM