Entrepreneur Hubs Sri Lanka

The initiative to start Entrepreneur Hubs, a national network of co worker small business centres, began when Michael Moonesinghe - CEO and founder of Glover Daniels International - attended the Disrupt Asia conference in July 2016, a very popular and successful event organised by the government agency, ICTA.

With hundreds of entrepreneurs present, one of the most common complaints was the lack of access to affordable office space in convenient locations. This, coupled with the need to pay large advance rentals and security deposits burdens aspiring entrepreneurs with massive expenses, which can often kill off a great idea before it has even got started!

Michael decided that such a significant problem could not be ignored and so, in his own very fast moving entrepreneurial style, he decided to confront the issue head on and to provide a simple and practical solution himself. “One of the advantages of wholly owning a private company, is that we can make decisions and move quickly”

Michael and his team moved fast – already they have opened three Business Hubs in Colpetty, Nugegoda and Mount Lavinia, offering places for over 200 people, with more Hubs in the pipeline over the coming year.

What is clear is that entrepreneurs are not simply renting a desk and a chair – which they can already get in a crowded coffee bar – Entrepreneur Hubs provides ‘Hubbers’ something much, much more; the opportunity to become part of a vibrant, thriving and mutually supportive business community in a positive and mentoring environment. Entrepreneur Hubs is not trying to compete with those large companies which provide serviced offices to established businesses

Budding entrepreneurs also have access to assistance with all aspects of setting up and running a business, from marketing to finance and legal advice. Michael and his experienced team of mentors have each already set up and run many successful businesses themselves.

To ease the financial burdens, start-ups can pay their Hub membership fees just 1 month in advance and then sit down and start work. There are no deposits, no long leases to be tied in to and all the required infrastructure is all included; Wi-Fi, air conditioning, new furniture, bookable meeting rooms and even unlimited free tea, coffee and bottled water!

Seed funding and Angel investment capital are also available for suitable start-ups. Regular investor events are planned. “Glover Daniels Consulting Solutions training team will help entrepreneurs with their presentation skills, personal coaching and development training to ensure that they make the very best first impression to these busy and often hard to impress Business Angels and High Net Worth investors.” Michael added.

“Co-working offers entrepreneurs and start-ups an amazing opportunity to be a part of something very special, an actual small business community, which they just don’t get when working from home or from a coffee bar."

Michael and his team plan to open a network of at least 10 Business Hubs across Sri Lanka within the next 12-18 months. Their E_Hubs mobile app and intranet will shortly be connecting entrepreneurs and small businesses from all over the country, to enable better networking and collaboration opportunities. This will have an immediate and very positive impact on the country’s fast growing and essential SME sector.

Monthly Hub membership start from as little as Rs. 12,000 (for mini Hubs), and Rs. 15,000 per month, all inclusive, for the larger Hubs.

Hot desking is available for just Rs. 1,000 for up to 4 hours (inclusive of free and unlimited tea, coffee and water). Bundles of 10 FULL DAY Hot desking visits can be bought for just Rs. 10,000.

Virtual Hubbing memberships are also available from as little as Rs. 5,000 per month which includes them in the online/App directory of small businesses.

Entrepreneur Hubs is geared to change the way that business is done across Sri Lanka and is set to become the crucial platform for many successful business ventures.

For more information on Entrepreneur Hubs, contact hubs@gloverdanielsinternational.com or join our fast growing Facebook group: ‘Entrepreneur Hubs_Sri Lanka’.