Who We Are?

Our journey began in 2016, when we launched startup training programs under Bookbridge Bandarawela, which is a professional education institution that provides professional courses for school leavers. These startup programs successfully trained and supported more than 100 entrepreneurs—mainly housewives and youth—helping them to create sustainable businesses and achieve economic independence. With the backing of Bookbridge Global, this marked the inception of social entrepreneurship development in Sri Lanka under the name Bookbridge Bandarawela.

Since then, Bookbridge Bandarawela has been actively supporting social entrepreneurs and small businesses. Through entrepreneurship programs, we have connected Sri Lankan entrepreneurs with global professionals, enabling them to transform entrepreneurial concepts into viable startups. The Startup Training Program, one of our flagship initiatives, has been instrumental in helping entrepreneurs establish businesses that generate employment and foster community development.

Drawing on extensive experience since 2016, we have successfully delivered a series of programs, including five Capability Programs, seven Startup Programs, and two Masterclass Programs. These initiatives brought together local and international professionals and provided participants with training in entrepreneurship, business coaching, mentoring, and leadership.

Recognizing the need for a dedicated entity focused exclusively on entrepreneurship, we established The Bridge Lanka (Pvt) Ltd in 2023. Today, The Bridge Lanka continues to build on this strong foundation by offering structured training, mentoring, incubation, and sustainable market access initiatives such as our proposed marketplace. To date, we have trained more than 130 entrepreneurs, of whom 70% are women and 45% are youth, underscoring our commitment to gender equality, youth empowerment, and inclusive development.