Marking Sri Lanka’s presence in a global youth entrepreneurship movement, the Hult Prize Sri Lanka Nationals 2025/2026 Grand Finale was successfully held on May 10th at the Commercial Credit Training Academy premises in Colombo with the sponsorship of the Ministry of Digital Economy. Hosted locally by APIIT Sri Lanka, the programme served as a platform to showcase the innovation potential and entrepreneurial mindset of Sri Lankan university students on an international stage.
Addressing the gathering as the Chief Guest, Eng. Eranga Weeraratne, Hon. Deputy Minister of Digital Economy emphasized that the responsibility of building Sri Lanka’s future digital economy lies with the country’s young entrepreneurs. He highlighted that technology should not be viewed merely as innovation, but as a tool that must be used responsibly and inclusively. The Deputy Minister further stressed the importance of developing digital solutions that cater to small and medium-scale enterprises, rural communities, and persons with special needs.
He also noted that the government’s continued support for digital infrastructure development and innovation ecosystems is creating an enabling environment for young entrepreneurs to build and grow their ventures within Sri Lanka itself. Encouraging students to think beyond the competition, he urged them to transform their ideas into practical solutions capable of addressing real-world challenges. He further emphasized that the future of Sri Lanka’s digital economy will be shaped not only by large institutions, but also by young innovators who use technology responsibly.
The event was also attended by the Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Chathuranga Abeysinghe , Secretary to the Ministry of Digital Economy; Waruna Dhanapala along with several distinguished guests. Senior Director of the Hult Prize Foundation, Hamdi Ben El Elmi, and Regional Manager Supriya Jangre also participated in the event. Chairman of APIIT, Bandula Egodage, Hult Prize National Director Thaviru Hettiarachchi, and representatives of the APIIT Business School were among those present.
