Ramani KANGARAARACHCHI

Sri Lanka will be positioned as a leading destination for Nanotechnology research and development contributing significantly to national economic development with the completion of Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology (SLINTEC),Chairman SLINTEC Mahesh Amalean said.

Speaking at the foundation laying ceremony for the construction of the Nanotechnology Centre of Excellence(NCE) at Homagama yesterday Amalean said the investment for the initial stage of the project is Rs 830 million.

Chairman SLINTEC, Mahesh Amalean, Minister of Technology and Research, Pavithra Wanniarachchi and Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Tissa Vitarana at the ground breaking event.

He said this is a unique project in a land allocated by the government and funded through public private partnership where Brandix, Hayleys, Load Star, MAS, Dialogue and Virtusa join hands with the Ministry of Technology and Research. The nanotechnology park will enable companies to invest and develop their research centres incubation facilities and pilot plants in an environment of an advanced technology park.

The project will develop a 50 acre land with a state of the art NCE in Pitipana, Homagama in a phased manner through pragmatic investments by all interested parties. It aims to attract research and development institutes, multinational companies, small and medium enterprises and education institutes to take advantage of the research ,development and innovation that will flourish in the enterprising ecosystem created at this advanced technology park. It will have a series of high tech labs with the latest equipment operated and managed by highly skilled scientists. The project will focus on R and D ,incubation for taking research into commercialization and provide facilities for corporate research and business development. Leading experts from around the globe will have tenures at the NCE and they will be available for consultation to continue with boundaries of innovation, he said.

The second phase of the park will focus on expansion of research and business development for both the public and private sector in Sri Lanka and potential foreign direct investment from multi national corporations as well as SMEs through attractive incentives, terms and conditions.

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Lanka to lead Nanotechnology research and development