Why Innovation Moves Slowly in Sri Lanka, Rohan Jayaweera on Reality, Risk & Readiness

In this unfiltered and deeply honest episode of TechTalk360, we sit down with Rohan Jayaweera Principal, Analytics Delivery at OCTAVE, Co‑founder of Antyra, former Google Sri Lanka lead, and one of the sharpest minds in Sri Lanka’s digital ecosystem.

With over 25 years in tech, analytics, and enterprise leadership, Rohan doesn’t offer startup clichés or motivational fluff. Instead, he delivers a reality check on entrepreneurship, innovation, data, AI, and why Sri Lanka struggles to scale big ideas even when the talent exists.

This episode also marks a special milestone: celebrating 2 years of TechTalk360, and setting the tone for a more honest, grounded year of conversations ahead.

What You’ll Learn:

• The “Greater Fool” Mindset – Why believing you can succeed where others failed is both dangerous and necessary

• Why Most Startups Fail Before They Start – The harsh truth about ideas, markets, and false optimism

• Services vs Products – Why Sri Lanka struggles to build scalable product companies

• Innovation Reality Check – Why Sri Lanka hasn’t truly innovated yet — and what’s missing

• Brain Drain & Broken Incentives – Why talent leaves, and why blaming individuals misses the point

• Data Before AI – Why using 6‑month‑old data to make decisions today is “silly”

• Entrepreneurship Isn’t for Everyone – A perspective most people don’t want to hear

• What Young Founders Must Learn First – Finance, resilience, and saying “no” to bad ideas

• The Myth of Digital Transformation – Why tech doesn’t fix broken businesses — foundations do

Chapters to Bookmark:

• (00:00) Why Rohan calls himself a “Greater Fool”

• (04:30) From Google to Antyra: building in uncertainty

• (08:45) The real story behind scaling Antyra

• (12:50) Why Sri Lankan businesses struggle to scale

• (16:20) Brain drain, middle‑class collapse & innovation slowdown

• (22:00) Why public transport & digitization haven’t worked

• (26:10) Why most companies misuse AI

• (30:00) Why entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone

• (34:00) Advice to young Sri Lankan founders

• (38:40) How Rohan wants to be remembered

Listen now on your favorite platform:

Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube

Listen now on your favorite platform:

Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube

Follow us for more:

@TechTalk360 on LinkedIn

@techtalk360 on Instagram

From 1 Dream to 17 Qualifications – Senuri Munasinghe's Story of Relentless Drive

In this powerful episode of TechTalk360, we sit down with Senuri Munasinghe lawyer, corporate trainer, lecturer, and one of the most inspiring multi-hyphenates we’ve ever featured.

Before 30, she racked up 17 educational qualifications, breaking barriers and rewriting what ambition looks like in today’s world. But this is more than a story about degrees it's about passion, grit, and redefining the limits of possibility in law, education, and life.

• Beyond Labels: Why Senuri doesn’t call herself “simple”—and how she redefined ambition on her terms.
• Mastering the Mind: The study frameworks and mental models that helped her balance law, HR, and corporate training.
• Women & Work: Senuri gets real about stereotypes, representation, and empowering the next generation of women leaders.
• Resilience Through Structure: From handwritten journals to vision boards—how planning became her superpower.
• Sri Lanka’s Future Needs You: Why she urges young talent not to give up on their country—and how we can all help rewrite its story.

• (00:00) Her early mindset and identity as a dreamer
• (04:00) How her quadruple degree journey began (and her parents’ reaction!)
• (10:00) What law taught her about people—and herself
• (14:00) Building a career that bridges TV, academia, and corporate HR
• (21:00) Passionate call to action for youth and Sri Lanka’s future

Listen now on your favorite platform:

Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube

Follow us for more:

@TechTalk360 on LinkedIn

@techtalk360 on Instagram

In this electrifying episode of TechTalk360, we dive into the unconventional, inspiring, and deeply insightful journey of Kenny He, Tech Partnerships Lead at Google for Singapore & Indonesia.

Whether you're a student, early-stage professional, or seasoned executive, Kenny's story will challenge the way you think about career growth, branding, and problem-solving.

• From Rejection to Google: Kenny reveals how getting rejected actually led him to land his dream role—and why tenacity beats credentials.
• Building a Personal Brand Like a Product: Learn why treating yourself like a product with USPs and a pitch deck might just be your next career hack.
• Storytelling as Strategy: Kenny explains how human-centered storytelling (not jargon) is the key to influence and leadership in high-stakes roles.
• Leadership = Influence, Not Control: Insights on managing partners across Asia and how to lead without authority.
• AI, Automation & the Human Side of Tech: Why the real value of AI isn’t features—it’s freeing humans to do meaningful work.
• Why Solving Problems = Career Growth: Kenny shares how battle scars from MediaMonks and other roles shaped his leadership edge.

• (00:00) The Rejection That Sparked a New Chapter
• (04:10) From Cafe Del Mar to Credit Suisse to Cloud Tech
• (08:00) The Art of Influence in Multi-Market Leadership
• (14:00) Building Personal Brand Decks That Convert
• (19:40) The Future of Work with AI, Automation & Empathy
• (24:00) Practical Advice for New Tech Talent
• (28:00) Law of Attraction & Visualizing Career Success

Listen now on your favorite platform

Subscribe on YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Follow us on Instagram | LinkedIn

Connect with Kenny: LinkedIn