The event was jointly organized by ISB and the National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka (NCE) with the support from the North Western Provincial Council, aiming to strengthen provincial export development by directly connecting local producers, manufacturers, growers, and aspiring exporters with leading export sector stakeholders in Sri Lanka.

The inauguration session was graced by the Governor of the North Western Province, Mr. Tissa Kumarasiri Warnasuriya, together with Chief Secretary Mr. I M I Ilangakoon, Chairman of National Enterprise Development Authority (NEDA) Mr. Lakshman Abeysekara, President Mr. Indhra Kaushal Rajapaksa, Shiham Marikar, CEO of the National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka and senior officials representing government and private sector institutions.

Addressing the gathering, the speakers highlighted the importance of strengthening export-oriented entrepreneurship at the provincial level and emphasized the need to integrate rural enterprises into national and international value chains through strategic partnerships and market linkages.

A total of 48 entrepreneurs representing sectors including food and beverages, coconut and agriculture-based products, handicrafts, industrial manufacturing, apparel and textiles, herbal and natural products, and eco-friendly packaging-related products participated in the forum. The event also included a separate engagement session for betel cultivators and suppliers considering the growing export demand for betel products.

One of the key highlights of the program was the structured B2B interaction session where entrepreneurs showcased their products directly to a delegation from the National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka consisting of leading export companies and export-support service providers. Participating organizations included Colombo West International Terminal (Private) Limited, Scanwell Logistics Colombo (Pvt) Ltd, Seylan Bank PLC, GAC Logistics Ltd., David Pieris Logistics, Empire Teas (Pvt) Ltd, Fanam International (Pvt) Ltd, Tropikal Life International, Lanktrad, Sri Lanka Export Credit Insurance Corporation, Advantis Express (Pvt) Ltd, Bureau Veritas Lanka Pvt Ltd, SGS Lanka, Nelna, SM Lanka Spices, Nation Trust Bank, Seylan Bank, Sampath Bank and Bank of Ceylon among others. In addition to these interactions, all aspiring exporters were provided the opportunity to register in the NCE business catalogue, which promotes registered enterprises internationally through Sri Lankan embassies, trade networks, and foreign buyer linkages.

During the table-to-table interaction sessions, exporters provided direct feedback to entrepreneurs regarding product quality, export readiness, packaging standards, market suitability, scalability, branding, and certification requirements. Several entrepreneurs received immediate expressions of business interest and follow-up discussions were conducted between exporters and selected enterprises for potential future collaborations.

The forum concluded with an experience-sharing session and discussions on future interventions required to enhance export capacity within the province. Organizers noted that the event successfully created an effective platform for rural enterprises to gain exposure to export markets while fostering stronger collaboration between provincial entrepreneurs and nationally recognized export sector stakeholders.