Kukaraj Tharmasegaram and Urmila Chandrasekeram

Course: Bachelor of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering (Honours), 2016
Nationality: Sri Lankan
Current role: Co-founder & CEO/COO, Mintpay

Please tell us about your role in your current organisation.

We are the co-founders of Mintpay, Sri Lanka’s first “buy now, pay later” payment platform. Mintpay enables users to purchase products from our partner merchants and pay in three instalments, interest-free, over two months. One of us leads the business strategy, marketing, and fundraising efforts, while the other focuses on developing robust and optimised software that powers the platform.

Why did you choose to study Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering?

ECSE is a unique and versatile degree that blends electrical engineering, electronics, computer systems, and telecommunications—essentially, a combination of everything that plays a role in our daily lives. This degree opens doors to various industries, from manufacturing to IT and fintech. Urmila worked in both manufacturing and IT before launching our start-up, while Kukaraj found that ECSE provided a deep understanding of how human-written code transforms into machine processes. The knowledge gained from optimisation and mathematical modules has also been instrumental in developing Mintpay’s risk and machine learning models.

How have your studies at Monash University Malaysia helped to prepare you for the working world?

Studying engineering at Monash sharpened our analytical and problem-solving skills beyond the classroom. The curriculum not only provided technical knowledge but also integrated essential skills such as communication, collaboration, and innovation. One of us particularly valued the emphasis on innovation within the syllabus, which fostered the ability to tackle complex problems and think creatively—both of which have been crucial in building Mintpay.

What type of opportunities did you participate in at Monash?

Kukaraj represented Monash for MAPCU 3x3 basketball matches.

Did you go for any internships or work placements? If so, where and did the experience help you in terms of career preparation?

Urmila did her internship at Sri Lanka Telecom during her third year of summer break. Right after her final semester, she returned back home and received her first job offer immediately at MAS Holdings, one of Sri Lanka’s largest corporates.

What did you enjoy most about your student life at Monash?

Monash offered us a diverse and enriching student experience. Meeting people from different backgrounds and cultures expanded our perspectives and helped us better understand the world. Living away from home also fostered independence and emotional intelligence, both of which have been valuable in our professional journeys.

What is your biggest career goal, or what difference would you like to make?

We aspire to grow Mintpay into a successful start-up that operates across multiple countries. Sri Lanka has never had a B2C start-up that has expanded regionally and succeeded—we want to make Mintpay the first Sri Lankan B2C start-up to thrive across South Asia.