Updated 2026-10-10
Sri Lanka startup ecosystem 2026
This page sums up the Sri Lanka startup ecosystem in 2026. Each figure names its source. BuiltList's own count is the number of approved listings in the directory.
Stats
National figures come from StartupBlink. BuiltList's figure is the live directory count.
- Global rank
- Sri Lanka ranks 69th in StartupBlink's Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2026, down from 68th in 2025. It ranks 3rd in South Asia. StartupBlink
- Startup count
- StartupBlink counts 423 startups in Sri Lanka. That is about 2% of startups in South Asia, or about 2 startups per 100,000 people. StartupBlink
- Growth
- StartupBlink says the Sri Lanka ecosystem grew 32.6% over the past year. StartupBlink
- Cities
- StartupBlink ranks two Sri Lankan cities. Colombo leads, and StartupBlink says its ecosystem is 968% stronger than Kandy's. StartupBlink
- On BuiltList
- BuiltList lists 96 approved startups and products from Sri Lankan founders. BuiltList
Key players
These are the institutions and the city that public reports name most often, plus BuiltList as the product directory.
- Colombo
- Colombo is the main startup city. StartupBlink ranks it ahead of Kandy. StartupBlink
- ICTA
- The Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka partners with Startup Genome on ecosystem reporting. Startup Genome
- Disrupt Asia
- Disrupt Asia 2025 was a four-day startup conference in September. Lanka Business News reported more than 5,000 participants, including more than 100 investors. Lanka Business News
- BuiltList
- BuiltList is a directory of products built by Sri Lankan founders. Every submission is reviewed before it goes live. BuiltList
Funding
Funding totals below are quoted from the named source. They cover different years, so they should not be added together.
- Ten-year investment
- StartupBlink says total startup investment in Sri Lanka over the past decade has passed US$212.03 million. StartupBlink
- 2024 to 2025
- StartupBlink says startup funding fell 74.09% from 2024 to 2025. The number of funding deals fell 82.56% over the same period. StartupBlink
- Ecosystem value, 2021–2023
- Startup Genome measured US$252 million in ecosystem value from 1 July 2021 to 31 December 2023. Ecosystem value means exits plus startup valuations. Startup Genome
- Ecosystem value, 2022–2024
- Lanka Business News, citing Startup Genome's 2025 Global Startup Ecosystem Report, reported US$821 million in ecosystem value from July 2022 to December 2024. The article calls that a threefold increase since 2021. Lanka Business News
- Fund of funds
- The same article reports a US$50 million Fund of Funds launched around Disrupt Asia 2025, and a government commitment of US$5 million in seed capital for a Digital Fund of Funds, with US$45 million to be raised from private sources. Lanka Business News
Top startups by category
Startup Genome highlights fintech, govtech, and agritech. A 2025 news report citing the Global Startup Ecosystem Report adds AI. The lists below are the most upvoted products on BuiltList, not a national ranking.
- 2024 sectors
- Startup Genome's 2024 note highlights fintech, govtech, and agritech for talent, support, and startup activity. Startup Genome
- 2025 sectors
- Lanka Business News, citing the 2025 Global Startup Ecosystem Report, points to agritech, fintech, and AI as current strengths. Lanka Business News
Fintech on BuiltList
- Kiwi Money — Sri Lanka's First Automated Expense Tracker
- Ledgerly.lk — A double entry book keeping system
- GajaCash — Expand your cashout footprint with ease
- Ceylon Funds — Independent, factual comparison of every licensed unit trust in Sri Lanka.
- Keep Yours — Get Paid, Keep Yours.
AI on BuiltList
- RiceVision — AI-powered satellite monitoring for smarter rice cultivation
- Briv — An AI Chief Of Staff For Business Owners, Zero Prompting
- Zuu Crew AI — Sri Lanka's first Data & AI Academy. Cohort bootcamps and pathway programs, beginner to builder.
- BrainUs AI — Sri Lanka's #1 AI That Knows Your Syllabus
- apt. — AI-native apartment discovery for lifestyle-driven urban dwellers, powered by an intelligent SaaS operating system for real estate brokerages.
SaaS on BuiltList
- Aura Reads — Book Summaries for Founders: my own handwritten notes compiled as a product
- RiceVision — AI-powered satellite monitoring for smarter rice cultivation
- ClawLink — Give agents access to real apps
- Briv — An AI Chief Of Staff For Business Owners, Zero Prompting
- apt. — AI-native apartment discovery for lifestyle-driven urban dwellers, powered by an intelligent SaaS operating system for real estate brokerages.
Edtech on BuiltList
- Zuu Crew AI — Sri Lanka's first Data & AI Academy. Cohort bootcamps and pathway programs, beginner to builder.
- BrainUs AI — Sri Lanka's #1 AI That Knows Your Syllabus
- SriLankanism — A community platform for documenting Sri Lankan slang, expressions and meme culture
- Buildr Labs — The fastest way to learn AI is to build with it
- Exambook — Play your way to Success
How to get listed
- Submit the product at builtlist.space/submit.
- BuiltList reviews the submission.
- Approved products get their own page and can appear in the directory and the monthly roundup.
BuiltList Monthly for October 2026 lists products approved that month.
Questions
Where can I find startups in Sri Lanka?
BuiltList lists startups in Sri Lanka at builtlist.space/startups-sri-lanka. Separate pages cover fintech, AI, SaaS, and edtech when those categories have enough listings.
How many startups are there in Sri Lanka?
BuiltList lists 96 approved startups and products. StartupBlink's 2026 Sri Lanka page counts 423 startups. The totals differ because the two lists use different rules.
How do I list a startup on BuiltList?
Submit the product at builtlist.space/submit. BuiltList reviews every submission. Approved products get their own page and can appear in the directory.