Talent Co-creation Lab at University of Peradeniya

Talent Co-creation Lab at University of Peradeniya

At University of Peradeniya, the innovation and graduate entrepreneurship-related activities of the Career Guidance Unit and the Business Linkage, Innovation, Incubation and the Technology Transfer Office (BLII-TTO) are conducted through the INNOTAL Talent Co-Creation Lab. The outputs of the Lab activities are commercialized through the BLII-TTO as it is the legal entity approved for this purpose by the University Grants Commission.
 
Website of the Lab:
https://www.pdn.ac.lk/centers/ubl/TDL/
 
> Implementation Framework of the Talent Lab at University of Peradeniya
> 2-year Action Plan of the Lab
 
The Talent Co-Creation Lab at University of Peradeniya is tsked with the following activities:
1. Research and Innovation:
  • Initiating new research projects in line with the requirements of industry, non-profit organizations and public research organizations
  • Linking social entrepreneurship projects with university students
  • Supporting the development of new graduate startups based on research
  • Establishing contacts with external stakeholders and initiating design and implementation of live innovation and research projects
2. Training activities:
  • Demand-based awareness sessions on entrepreneurship for student clubs
  • Organizing joint university-stakeholder entrepreneurship or innovation training sessions for students in various disciplines with a view to providing seed money grants
  • Facilitating business pitching of students through proper training
3. Enhancing internships and placements:
  • Regularly maintaining contacts with employers and public sector organizations for enhancing internship placements and traineeships for students in different faculties.
With respect to graduate entrepreneurship promotion, the Career Guidance Unit - jointly with the Talent Development Lab - has already started providing short-term training on entrepreneurship to undergraduates and even to graduates who have completed their degrees within the last five years.
External public institutions like the National Enterprise Development Authority (NEDA), NGOs/INGOs (USAID-YOULEAD), UNDP (HACKADEV-National Youth Social Innovation Challenge) and some private sector organizations (i.e. Jhon Keels) assist all these trainings and some of the partners provide seed money grants for start-ups (Rs. 150,000 – 500,000) after assessing the graduate business project by the banks. Some of them provide a premier platform for youth to become social entrepreneurs while contributing to solve development challenges in the community and the country.

Talent Lab at University of Peradeniya