CODICE is a U.S.-based information technology firm that provides custom, high-quality solutions to government agencies and corporations. Their IT team enhances clients’ technology, implements superior business processes, and fosters cultural shifts to ensure a better digital journey for both clients and their workforce. Echelon sat down with CODICE’s Founder and President, Dash Kiridena, to discuss the company’s future plans and the progress of its operations in Colombo.
Can you share your career journey before founding CODICE, and what inspired you to start the company? How has the company evolved so far?
While working for the government, I constantly searched for opportunities to increase efficiencies and enhance the overall quality of the public and corporate sector work processes and their business practices. This motivated me to find better solutions that utilized the latest technology trends and innovations, leading to the founding of CODICE in 2009. We celebrated 15 years of operations last month.
Our evolution has been driven by a deep commitment to understanding the complex needs of clients – observing, listening, and engaging with them to deliver an optimal solution that goes beyond a set of specifications, often putting us ahead of larger companies. Initially focused on healthcare consulting, we’ve transformed into a full-scale technology company, providing enterprise-level cloud solutions primarily for government clients. Our journey involved hard work, overcoming complex and unforeseen challenges, and constantly adapting to dynamic conditions such as COVID-19. Today, we offer a wide range of digital services, always prioritizing the client’s needs.
Let’s discuss vision and purpose. As a founder and leader of CODICE, how has your vision for the company evolved, and how do you align a growing team around a shared purpose?
Our priority has always been to deliver a tailored solution that best matches the client’s needs while ensuring consideration for internal and external factors to arrive at the most appropriate technology solution for each client. Unlike some companies that focus on specific technologies, we are technology-agnostic. Whether it’s AWS, Microsoft Azure, or any other platform, we choose the best fit for each client. We have an exceptional government solutions team that has mastered of public-facing digital platforms to meet government, citizens, and business needs. I insist that CODICE employees become subject matter experts for our client organizations so we can deliver the best customized digital solutions. Over the years, we have cultivated exceptional and unique insights and value into each of our client operations. This approach ensures we provide maximum value.
As a digital disruptor, I embrace and promote research, creativity and innovation to deliver exceptional solutions. I am committed to pushing the envelope by providing our associates with independence to bring out their best. Our project leads and engineers have admirably risen to this challenge by gaining a deep understanding of our public sector client operations. This enables us to deliver exceptional tech solutions to our clients. Our team, based in Washington, DC and Sri Lanka, is driven by this ethos.
Can you walk us through CODICE’s suite of technology services and the industries you cater to?
Over the last 15 years, CODICE has been able to gain a wealth of knowledge and expertise by catering to clients in various industries and business domains, like Health IT, Transportation, Education, Unemployment Services, Payments, and Facilities Management.
We are proud to be technology-agnostic, bringing in any technology or system we believe best fits our clients’ needs. Our team’s diverse skill set allows us to work with a wide range of cloud-native technologies, from .NET and JavaScript stack of technologies to setting up enterprise-scale database solutions to implementing complex Oracle EPM and ERP solutions. Unlike traditional companies limited to specific stacks, we offer full-stack development and integrate various technologies into our solutions. This flexibility is a unique strength we’ve honed primarily through our work with government clients, who often require complex, tailored solutions. Whether it is building modern digital public platforms, product development, data science projects, or cloud services across AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, we provide a customized, a la carte approach to meet every client’s preferences and requirements.
Can you share examples of your most innovative solutions and their impact?
One of our major projects involves building a modern digital licensing and permitting platform to replace a 20-year-old system for the District of Columbia government. Our new system will accommodate millions of digital transactions. This system allows for public space permits and other licenses, transitioning from an outdated platform to a new, cloud-native, digitally accessible solution. This new system simplifies transactions between the government, citizens, and businesses, making processes more efficient and accessible via any digital device. Additionally, we are developing a data lake solution for the Washington, DC Convention Center, aggregating data from millions of visitors to the city to provide valuable insights to increase future travel into DC and to access the city’s vibrant hospitality industry. Our engineering excellence centre in Sri Lanka plays a crucial role in these initiatives.
In a competitive market, how does CODICE differentiate itself, and what strategies do you employ to stay ahead of rapid technological advancements?
Creativity and innovation are key to our approach, but so is adherence to the latest US standards. My background in government policy and procedures has taught me the importance of following standards for data, applications, and security. We follow these standards diligently and build our systems accordingly, ensuring our solutions meet the specific US state, local, and federal standards for technology implementations. This approach sets us apart from our competitors. We stay current with the latest tech advancements, allowing our clients flexibility and interoperability. Our systems are built modular to accommodate new changes, providing extensibility and flexibility without locking clients into outdated technology. The ability to adapt is crucial for modern technology, especially the use of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI).
What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced, how did you overcome it, and what valuable lessons did you learn?
Dealing with disappointments and rejection is crucial in business. Many struggle with it, but our strength comes from taking it in stride. Whether selling to clients or the government, you won’t always get what you want. When faced with rejection, we analyse what went wrong and improve. For instance, we once lost a major contract despite being ranked first. Instead of disputing, we questioned the decision professionally, which eventually led to more contracts later. Standing up for your beliefs and handling setbacks with professionalism pays off. Having a capacity for patience is also a winner. Learning from mistakes and remaining resilient is key to long-term success in any business environment.
As the founder of a successful business, what are your thoughts on how Sri Lankan businesses can unlock their potential in the current landscape?
Sri Lanka has very talented technologists but needs access to large external technology markets to grow its tech ecosystem in Sri Lanka. One key focus area for the Sri Lankan tech industry can be to learn and adopt international standards, particularly from the US, Asia, and Europe. This knowledge allows better solutions tailored to these markets. India did this 20 years ago, aligning with US corporate and government standards, which contributed to their tech boom. Sri Lankan tech and BPO sectors should follow this example, ensuring teams are trained in the latest technologies and standards of the US, etc.
Sri Lanka must also be competitive with global tech markets such as Asian and Eastern European countries that offer tech manpower and new sets. This means aligning the Sri Lanka tech sector on par with developing tech nations to attract international clients – increase corporate-friendly business practices and incentives, provide flexible labour policies that align with these countries, and increase training/skillsets that match the latest global technology needs to enhance Sri Lanka’s competitiveness. Embracing these changes can position Sri Lanka as a valuable player in the global tech landscape.