Who is Mahen Samaranayake?

Mahen Samaranayake is a software engineer, entrepreneur and technology consultant based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. He has more than 14 years of experience building software. He is Tech Lead for ERP systems at Software Systems International (Pvt) Ltd, was CTO of the UK education platform Outclass, and founded Noimos, Catwa.lk and EduCluster.

What does Mahen Samaranayake do?

He designs and builds production software, leads ERP development for multi-purpose cooperative societies and small and medium businesses, and gives founders and businesses technical direction on software architecture, product scope and digital transformation.

Where is Mahen Samaranayake based?

Colombo, Sri Lanka. He has worked with teams in Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom.

Which companies has Mahen Samaranayake founded?

Noimos (Pvt) Ltd (September 2023), a Sri Lankan software company; Catwa.lk (February 2026), Sri Lanka's modeling platform for verified model profiles, castings and direct bookings; and EduCluster (June 2026), the professional network for education. Catwa.lk and EduCluster are Noimos products.

What industries has Mahen Samaranayake worked in?

ERP for cooperatives and small and medium businesses, information security, education, the modeling and creative industry, human resources, retail, fashion and productivity software. Software he has built is used by more than 2,000 people.

Does Mahen Samaranayake offer technology consulting?

Yes. He helps founders and growing businesses turn ideas into buildable products, review existing software, get technical direction before committing budget, and modernize internal systems and workflows. Details are on mahen.lk/consulting/.

How can I contact Mahen Samaranayake?

Use the contact page at mahen.lk/contact/, email mahen@ssipl.lk, or message him on WhatsApp at +94 71 499 2893.

About Mahen Samaranayake

I'm a software engineer and founder based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. I build business software, lead technical work for early-stage companies, and run three ventures of my own. This page covers how I got here, how I work and what I'm working on now.

How I got here

I've been building software for more than 14 years. In February 2017 I joined Virtusa as a software engineer, working on confidential projects in information security for a well-known US company that makes security devices.

In April 2018 I moved to Software Systems International (Pvt) Ltd as Tech Lead, and I'm still there. SSIPL has built business software in Sri Lanka since 2000: ERP, point of sale and inventory, HR and payroll, and visitor management, for multi-purpose cooperative societies and other businesses. I've worked on those systems end to end: architecture, development, deployment and support. That job taught me most of what I know about software that organizations depend on every day. When an accounting module is wrong, someone's month-end doesn't close.

2023 changed the shape of my work. In February I became CTO of Outclass, a UK platform for booking extracurricular activities for school students, and I led its technology and development until December 2024. In September I registered Noimos (Pvt) Ltd, a Sri Lankan software company that builds its own products and takes on client work.

In 2026 I started two more ventures: Catwa.lk in February and EduCluster in June. Catwa.lk is Sri Lanka's modeling platform, where models build verified profiles and businesses book them directly. EduCluster is the professional network for education. Both are products of Noimos.

I've run these alongside my role at SSIPL. That means a lot of my time goes into deciding what not to do.

What I believe about building software

Most software problems start as unclear business problems. Before I write code, I want to know who will use it, what they do today, and what has to be true for the project to count as a success.

Familiar technology is usually the right call. A small team supporting a system for years gets more from a stack it understands than from anything new.

Ship the smallest version someone will actually use. A first release that answers one real question is worth more than a complete one that answers none.

Match the architecture to the company you are now. Most early products don't need microservices. They need clear boundaries inside one codebase and a database schema someone has thought about.

Support is part of the design. If I'm the one who'll be fixing it later, I build it differently. After years of supporting my own ERP work, I don't think that's a bad instinct.

How I approach technical and product work

I usually start with the workflow, not the feature list. I talk to the people who'll use the system, map what they do today, and look for the places where information gets retyped, lost or argued about. That's typically where software helps most.

Then I sketch the data model. In business software it outlives almost every other decision, so it's worth getting right early. After that, I prefer short delivery cycles with something real to look at every week or two, because people react to working software more honestly than to documents.

I work full-stack. On most projects I'm writing code as well as making architecture decisions, and I'd like to keep it that way.

Industries I've worked in

ERP for multi-purpose cooperative societies and small and medium businesses
Information security (Virtusa client work)
Education (Outclass, EduCluster)
Modeling and the creative industry (Catwa.lk)
Human resources, retail, fashion and productivity software

Across these, software I've built is used by more than 2,000 people.

My ventures

Noimos, since September 2023. My software company, and the company behind EduCluster and Catwa.lk.
Catwa.lk, since February 2026. Sri Lanka's modeling platform, with verified profiles, castings and direct bookings.
EduCluster, since June 2026. The professional network for education.

Read about each venture

A little more context

I studied to master's level. I thought about staying closer to academia and chose startups instead, because a product in people's hands tells you more, and sooner, than a paper does. My interests have also moved from software engineering toward data science.

I care whether the things I build are useful beyond the business case. Sustainability and social impact are part of how I choose ventures, and education keeps pulling me back.

Quick facts

Who is Mahen Samaranayake?: Mahen Samaranayake is a software engineer, entrepreneur and technology consultant based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. He has more than 14 years of experience building software. He is Tech Lead for ERP systems at Software Systems International (Pvt) Ltd, was CTO of the UK education platform Outclass, and founded Noimos, Catwa.lk and EduCluster.
What does Mahen Samaranayake do?: He designs and builds production software, leads ERP development for multi-purpose cooperative societies and small and medium businesses, and gives founders and businesses technical direction on software architecture, product scope and digital transformation.
Where is Mahen Samaranayake based?: Colombo, Sri Lanka. He has worked with teams in Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom.
Which companies has Mahen Samaranayake founded?: Noimos (Pvt) Ltd (September 2023), a Sri Lankan software company; Catwa.lk (February 2026), Sri Lanka's modeling platform for verified model profiles, castings and direct bookings; and EduCluster (June 2026), the professional network for education. Catwa.lk and EduCluster are Noimos products.
What industries has Mahen Samaranayake worked in?: ERP for cooperatives and small and medium businesses, information security, education, the modeling and creative industry, human resources, retail, fashion and productivity software. Software he has built is used by more than 2,000 people.
Does Mahen Samaranayake offer technology consulting?: Yes. He helps founders and growing businesses turn ideas into buildable products, review existing software, get technical direction before committing budget, and modernize internal systems and workflows. Details are on mahen.lk/consulting/.
How can I contact Mahen Samaranayake?: Use the contact page at mahen.lk/contact/, email mahen@ssipl.lk, or message him on WhatsApp at +94 71 499 2893.