Five Sri Lankan ICT companies have advanced new business leads in Germany and Sweden through a market exposure programme organised under the Export Development Board (EDB) and Import Promotion Desk Germany (IPD) initiative, as the sector looks to strengthen its presence in Europe.

The companies took part in Hannover Messe, where they held pre-arranged business-to-business meetings with European firms in areas including digital transformation, software development, artificial intelligence, enterprise technology, and other emerging technology segments.

The delegation then moved to Berlin for ecosystem visits, workshops, keynote sessions, and a networking and pitch event with European startups, investors, and industry experts. The programme was designed to help the companies understand German market requirements, buyer expectations, and partnership opportunities.

In Stockholm, the delegation participated in the Nordic Growth Summit, a networking session hosted by Impact Hub, meetings at Tech Arena, and a visit to Nordea Bank. The Nordea engagement gave participating companies, particularly those in fintech and enterprise solutions, exposure to regional business practices and financial technology trends.

The EDB said the programme generated high-quality leads and active follow-ups for potential collaborations across Germany and the Nordic region. It also helped companies test product-market fit, sharpen their European market entry plans, and build a pipeline for future business.

The initiative marks the second EDB-IPD collaboration for Sri Lanka’s ICT sector. According to the organisers, one Sri Lankan company that secured a deal with a German firm after the first edition used the latest programme to strengthen that partnership, showing the value of sustained market engagement.

The programme comes as Sri Lanka seeks to grow service exports and position ICT as a stronger source of foreign exchange earnings. The EDB and IPD are expected to continue targeted internationalisation and market access support for local technology firms in the year ahead.