BIZ

Epic Lanka unveils digitalization strategy beyond 25 years with 20 innovative products 

Published

1 year ago

November 10, 2023

editor

Epic Lanka, a wholly Sri Lankan-owned fintech and digital transformation solutions provider with a quarter-century of experience in the IT industry, recently marked the momentous occasion of their 25th anniversary.

This milestone underscores their enduring commitment to excellence and their significant contributions to the field of financial technology. Evolving from its roots as a project-driven entity, Epic now boasts a remarkable portfolio of 20 unique Intellectual Properties (IPs).

Positioning itself as a formidable player in the global IT arena, these IPs will be promoted in foreign markets through strategic partnerships with other leading software brands, further solidifying Sri Lanka’s reputation as an IT knowledge and solutions hub.   Over the past 25 years, Epic has employed a workforce of more than 6,000 employees, predominantly consisting of local IT graduates, while also providing opportunities to over 3,000 interns.

The industry leader of domain expertise, innovative solutions by Epic have modernized state enterprises, transformed the payments landscape. Considering the scope and influence, it’s estimated that Epic’s solutions and innovations have a direct or indirect impact on the daily lives of all Sri Lankans.

Moreover, Epic’s expansion into East Asia has seen the company provide its cutting-edge solutions to foreign clients, reinforcing its position as a global leader in the industry. In recognition of its outstanding contributions, Epic was adjudged as the best ICT solutions company in Sri Lanka and also won Sri Lanka’s first-ever Gold award at the Asia Pacific ICT Alliance (APICTA) Awards. These accolades underscore the company’s commitment to excellence and innovation.  Epic’s product solutions portfolio encompasses a range of impressive offerings, each catering to specific business needs. For instance, PreveNET NAC stands out as a multifunctional and dependable solution, assisting organizations in their transition from hardware-based Network Access Controllers (NACs) to a more versatile software-based alternative. Meanwhile, Collectmate provides a comprehensive and holistic approach to managing end-to-end tasks and processes within the realm of debt collections and recoveries. Doxmate, on the other hand, offers an enterprise content management and business process automation solution, featuring document management systems and workflow solutions. Paytect is a fully-fledged card management system that facilitates the entire spectrum of card issuing, acquiring, and transaction processing functions while Digiface emerges as a digital onboarding eKYC and vKYC solution, developed by Epic, offering a comprehensive approach to streamline digital onboarding processes across various banking products while ensuring compliance with pertinent regulations. These solutions collectively contribute to enhancing operational efficiency and addressing the evolving needs of businesses in today’s digital landscape.

For a quarter-century, Epic has been at the forefront of technological innovation in Sri Lanka. Dr. Nayana Dehigama, Epic Technology Group Founder and Executive Chairman reflects on this remarkable journey, stating, ” We recently commemorated the 25th anniversary of Epic as it embarks on a transformative journey. From humble beginnings, we have now emerged as a leading force in enterprise digital transformation. This milestone is a result of the dedication, passion, and expertise of our exceptionally talented team, who consistently push the boundaries of what can be achieved. They have enabled us to deliver cutting-edge solutions that have positively impacted the lives of Sri Lankans.

“Epic Lanka Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Viraj Mudalige, shares his vision, stating, “Our Research and Development centre in Sri Lanka that is equipped with advanced technology has played a key role in nurturing an innovative culture, leading to the development of cutting-edge solutions that have earned us many national and international awards.”Looking ahead, Epic remains committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation and delivering exceptional value to its stakeholders. Mudalige elaborates, “We are actively pursuing opportunities to expand our global presence and introduce our outstanding solutions to markets beyond Asia. Our primary objective is to maintain our influence in shaping the future of the global fintech industry. With 20 proprietary products in our portfolio, we are transitioning from project-based ventures to building a comprehensive suite of cutting-edge software solutions. As we look ahead to the next financial year, Epic envisions forging strategic partnerships with software companies and nations worldwide to bring our ambitious goals to fruition. Epic Lanka is set to redefine the IT landscape, both in Sri Lanka and on the global stage.

“Founded in 1998, Epic Technology Group is an award-winning regional technology leader in adopting and delivering modern technology across the Banking, Financial Services, and Government sectors in local and international markets. Equipped with ISO 9001:2015, ISO 27001:2013, PCI3DS, and CMMi Level 3 certification, Epic has more than 25 years of experience in Fintech, information system security, enterprise digitalization, mobile applications, e-payment application development, e-government solutions, and document management systems. .

For more information, please visit www.epictechnology.lk.

BIZ

DHL suspends high value US deliveries over tariffs

Published

1 week ago

April 20, 2025

editor

DHL Express is suspending deliveries to the US worth more than $800 (£603) because of a “significant increase” in red tape at customs following the introduction of Donald Trump’s new tariff regime.

The delivery giant said it will temporarily stop shipments from companies in all countries to American consumers on Monday “until further notice”.

It added that business-to-business shipments will still go ahead, “though they may also face delays”.

Previously, packages worth up to $2,500 could enter the US with minimal paperwork but due to tighter customs checks that came into force alongside Trump’s tariffs earlier this month, the threshold has been lowered.

DHL said that the change “has caused a surge in formal customs clearances, which we are handling around the clock”.

It said that while it is working to “scale up and manage this increase, shipments worth over $800, regardless of origin, may experience multi-day delays”.

The company said it will still deliver packages worth less than $800, which can be sent to the US with minimal checks.

But the White House is set to clamp down on deliveries under $800 – specifically those sent from China and Hong Kong – on 2 May when it closes a loophole allowing low-value packages to enter the US without incurring any duties.

The removal of the so-called “de minimis” rule will impact the likes of the fast-fashion firm Shein and Temu, the low-cost retail giant.

Shein and Temu have both warned that they will increase prices “due to recent changes in global trade rules and tariffs”.

The Trump administration has claimed that “many shippers” in China “hide illicit substances and conceal the true contents of shipments sent to the US through deceptive shipping practices”.

Under an excutive order, the White House said the measures were aimed at “addressing the synthetic opioid supply chain” which it said “play a significant role in the synthetic opioid crisis in the US”.

Beijing has said that the opioid fentanyl is a “US problem” and China has the strictest drug policies in the world.

Last week, Hongkong Post said it was suspending packages sent to the US by sea and, from 27 April, would stop accepting parcels destined for America.

It said: “The US is unreasonable, bullying and imposing tariffs abusively.”

(BBC News)

BIZ

SriLankan retired cabin crew recalled amid ‘work to rule’ campaign

Published

1 week ago

April 19, 2025

editor

According to reports, the SriLankan Airlines’ management has decided to immediately call up retired cabin crew members to service, following the ‘work to rule’ campaign launched by the Cabin Crew Members Association.

The SriLankan Airlines Cabin Crew Members Association launched a ‘work to rule’ campaign in April, citing several demands, including the reallocation of their onboard meal allowance.

In this backdrop, the national carrier is said to be operating with a reduced number of cabin crew which was further affected by the recent retirement of a significant number of experienced senior staff.

The staff were retired stating that individuals over the age of 60 would no longer be retained.

Efforts to extend the retirement age had been unsuccessful.

Even though they had directed a formal request to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Dec. 12, 2024, no response was received, reports add.

BIZ

Google has illegal advertising monopoly, judge rules

Published

2 weeks ago

April 18, 2025

editor

A US judge has ruled tech giant Google has a monopoly in online advertising technology.

The US Department of Justice, along with 17 US states, sued Google, arguing the tech giant was illegally dominating the technology which determines which adverts should be placed online and where.

This is the second antitrust case Google has lost in a year, after it was ruled the company also had a monopoly on online search.

Google said it would appeal against the decision.

“Publishers have many options and they choose Google because our ad tech tools are simple, affordable and effective,” the firm’s head of regulatory affairs Lee-Ann Mulholland said.

US district judge Leonie Brinkema said in the ruling Google had “wilfully engaged in a series of anticompetitive acts” which enabled it to “acquire and maintain monopoly power” in the market.

“This exclusionary conduct substantially harmed Google’s publisher customers, the competitive process, and, ultimately, consumers of information on the open web,” she said.

Google lost on two counts, while a third was dismissed.

“We won half of this case and we will appeal the other half,” Ms Mulholland said.

“The court found that our advertiser tools and our acquisitions, such as DoubleClick, don’t harm competition.”

The ruling is a significant win for US antitrust enforcers, according to Laura Phillips-Sawyer, a professor at the University of Georgia School of Law.

“It signals that not only are agencies willing to prosecute but also that judges are willing to enforce the law against big tech firms,” she said.

She said the verdict sets an important legal precedent and is likely to affect decision-making in corporate America.

Google’s lawyers had argued the case focused too much on its past activities, and prosecutors ignored other large ad tech providers such as Amazon.

“Google has repeatedly used its market power to self-preference its own products, stifling innovation and depriving premium publishers worldwide of critical revenue needed to sustain high-quality journalism and entertainment,” said Jason Kint, head of Digital Content Next, a trade association representing online publishers.

(BBC News)