Sri Lanka for startups: build your engineering team

Q: Can an early stage startup hire engineers in Sri Lanka?

Yes. Most start with a few people through an employer of record or a small partner team, which needs no local company.

Q: Which startups have built with Sri Lankan engineers?

WealthOS, acquired by JPMorganChase in 2026, built its platform with a Sri Lankan team. Oceans places Sri Lankan talent with US startups such as Morning Brew and beehiiv, and Gapstars works with Dutch scaleups such as Otrium.

Q: How much can a startup save by hiring in Sri Lanka?

Oceans says its clients save 50% to 80% compared with US hires. The Export Development Board cites 40% to 65% for operations compared with the US or UK.

Startups use Sri Lanka to build a senior engineering team at a fraction of home market cost without lowering the bar. WealthOS built its wealth platform with 50+ engineers in Sri Lanka and was acquired by JPMorganChase less than three years after its first client. Oceans supplies Sri Lankan talent to 600+ US startups, and Gapstars builds engineering teams for Dutch scaleups such as Otrium.

Last reviewed 10 October 2026.

< 3 years: from first client to acquisition for WealthOS
600+: US startups and agencies use Oceans talent
#3 in Asia: for affordable tech talent, Startup Genome 2026

What startups hire first

Usually two to five engineers through an employer of record or a small partner team, alongside a founder or lead at home who owns the product. Operations, finance and support roles often follow.

What it does to your runway

A senior software engineer costs roughly USD 10,800 to 18,600 a year in Sri Lanka including statutory contributions, depending on how far above the local median you pay. The salary guide shows the working.

Making it work

Hire for seniority, overlap a few hours every day, and treat the team as founders treat early employees. Superloop, for one, gives every Colombo employee company stock.

Who does this in Sri Lanka

WealthOSFounded by two Sri Lankans in 2019 and acquired by JPMorganChase in 2026.Read the story and sources

OceansClients save 50% to 80% compared with US hires, by its own figures.Read the story and sources

GapstarsEmbedded teams for European scaleups.Read the story and sources

XeynergyBootstrapped from six engineers to 80+ people and its own AI products.Read the story and sources

RootcodeA Colombo startup that now builds for European governments.Read the story and sources The roundupSri Lanka made the biggest jump in Startup Genome's 2026 emerging ecosystem rankings.Read the story and sources

Talk to us first

Tell us what you are building and how big the team needs to be. We will suggest the route and introduce the right people or partners.

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Common questions

Can an early stage startup hire engineers in Sri Lanka?

Yes. Most start with a few people through an employer of record or a small partner team, which needs no local company.

Which startups have built with Sri Lankan engineers?

WealthOS, acquired by JPMorganChase in 2026, built its platform with a Sri Lankan team. Oceans places Sri Lankan talent with US startups such as Morning Brew and beehiiv, and Gapstars works with Dutch scaleups such as Otrium.

How much can a startup save by hiring in Sri Lanka?

Oceans says its clients save 50% to 80% compared with US hires. The Export Development Board cites 40% to 65% for operations compared with the US or UK.