Sysco LABS Presidential Export Awards success underscores Sri Lanka’s growing strength in high-value technology exports, as the Colombo-based innovation hub secured two top honours for excellence in ICT services and enterprise-grade artificial intelligence innovation.
Sysco LABS Presidential Export Awards win highlights ICT and AI excellence
Sysco LABS Presidential Export Awards recognition has once again placed Sri Lanka’s ICT services sector firmly in the global spotlight, with the company securing a double victory at the prestigious 2024/25 ceremony. The technology firm was named ICT Exporter of the Year for the fourth consecutive year while also winning the Innovative Export Service of the Year award for SAGE, its enterprise-grade agentic AI platform developed entirely in Colombo.
The awards ceremony, organised by the Sri Lanka Export Development Board, was held at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall on December 11 and brought together leading exporters, policymakers, and industry stakeholders. As the country’s highest national recognition for export excellence, the Presidential Export Awards celebrate organisations that deliver sustained contributions to foreign exchange earnings, innovation, and Sri Lanka’s international competitiveness.
Winning ICT Exporter of the Year for a fourth straight year reinforces Sysco LABS’ position as a cornerstone of Sri Lanka’s technology exports. The accolade reflects the company’s consistent performance in delivering advanced digital solutions to global markets, while creating high-value employment opportunities for Sri Lankan professionals across software engineering, data science, and emerging technology domains.
The second award, Innovative Export Service of the Year, was presented for SAGE, known as the Sysco Agentic Ecosystem. The platform represents a significant milestone for Sri Lanka’s artificial intelligence capabilities, showcasing how locally built solutions can meet the complex operational demands of global enterprises. Developed end-to-end by teams in Colombo, SAGE exemplifies the country’s potential to move beyond traditional outsourcing into the development of proprietary, high-impact digital platforms.
Industry observers note that the dual recognition at the Sysco LABS Presidential Export Awards highlights a broader shift within Sri Lanka’s ICT sector toward innovation-led exports. Rather than competing primarily on cost, leading firms are increasingly differentiating themselves through intellectual property creation, advanced analytics, and scalable enterprise solutions.
Speaking at the event, Sysco LABS Sri Lanka Managing Director Thushera Kawdawatta described the achievement as a validation of the company’s long-term economic contribution to the country. He noted that the repeated recognition reflects the organisation’s ability to generate substantial foreign revenue while fostering a skilled, future-ready workforce capable of competing at a global level.
According to Kawdawatta, the award for SAGE further demonstrates how Sysco LABS delivers value through creativity and innovation as part of Sysco, the world’s largest foodservice enterprise. He emphasised that the platform’s success is rooted in the passion and professionalism of the Sri Lankan teams behind it, whose work continues to elevate the nation’s reputation as a technology innovation hub.
Operating as Sysco’s benchmarked Global Innovation Centre, Sysco LABS plays a critical role in designing, building, and maintaining the mission-critical digital systems that support the global operations of the foodservice giant. These systems underpin supply chain optimisation, data-driven decision-making, and customer engagement across multiple international markets, positioning Sri Lankan talent at the heart of a Fortune-level enterprise.
Beyond technology delivery, Sysco LABS has also built a reputation for responsible corporate practices. The company’s emphasis on sustainability, inclusive workplace policies, and community engagement aligns with evolving global expectations of exporters. Analysts note that such commitments increasingly influence how international clients and partners assess long-term collaboration potential.
The Sysco LABS Presidential Export Awards success comes at a time when Sri Lanka is seeking to expand high-value service exports to strengthen economic resilience. ICT services, particularly in areas such as artificial intelligence, cloud platforms, and enterprise software, are viewed as strategic growth engines capable of generating stable foreign exchange inflows with limited dependence on physical infrastructure.
For policymakers, the achievement offers a compelling case study of how targeted investment in skills development, innovation ecosystems, and global integration can yield tangible export outcomes. It also reinforces the importance of supporting technology firms that move up the value chain by creating proprietary platforms and intellectual capital.
As global competition for technology exports intensifies, sustained recognition at national platforms such as the Presidential Export Awards signals credibility and consistency. For Sysco LABS, the latest honours strengthen its standing not only as a leading exporter, but also as a benchmark for what Sri Lanka’s ICT sector can achieve through innovation, scale, and strategic alignment with global enterprises.
With four consecutive ICT Exporter of the Year titles and a landmark innovation award, Sysco LABS Presidential Export Awards recognition positions the company at the forefront of Sri Lanka’s digital export narrative, setting a high bar for the next phase of technology-driven economic growth.