The attendees taking part in the collaborative workshop activities

The 8th edition of the SLASSCOM National Ingenuity Awards (SNIA) 2026 is set to take center stage on 16 June 2026 at ITC Ratnadipa, Colombo, bringing together Sri Lanka’s most visionary innovators, technology leaders, startups, academia, students, corporates, and ecosystem enablers in a powerful celebration of innovation excellence.

Organised annually by the Sri Lanka Association for Software and Services Companies (SLASSCOM), the National Ingenuity Awards has grown into one of the country’s most prestigious platforms for recognising breakthrough ideas and transformative digital solutions. 

This year’s response has been exceptional, with over 300 applications received from across all nine provinces, spanning 16 diverse award categories. 

The 2026 awards spotlight innovation across a wide spectrum of industries including fintech, agritech, healthtech, manufacturing, logistics, retail, hospitality, edutech, government innovation, and general innovation. Dedicated categories such as Best Startup and Woman Technopreneur of the Year continue to shine a light on emerging entrepreneurs and high-growth ventures driving the next wave of economic transformation.

At the same time, SNIA remains deeply committed to nurturing innovation at every level of society. Special recognition is given to school innovators and university undergraduates, alongside purpose-driven categories such as Tech-for-Good and Innovation in Internal Processes and RPA, which highlight solutions delivering meaningful impact to businesses, communities, and the nation at large.

Speaking on the significance of the platform, SLASSCOM Chairperson Shehani Seneviratne noted that the National Ingenuity Awards has become a defining national stage for Sri Lanka’s innovation talent. She emphasised that as the country advances toward its ambition of building a US$ 5 b  knowledge and innovation economy by 2030, platforms such as SNIA play a critical role in recognising and empowering the innovators, entrepreneurs, students, and organisations solving real-world challenges through technology and creativity.

SLASSCOM National Ingenuity Awards Core Team Chairperson and SLASSCOM Vice Chairperson Haridhu Abeygoonaratne highlighted the growing strength of the ecosystem, stating that the overwhelming response to SNIA 2026 reflects the increasing maturity and diversity of Sri Lanka’s innovation landscape. He noted that exceptional ideas are emerging from every corner of the country,from classrooms and universities to startups and established corporates, reinforcing SNIA’s role in providing national visibility, collaboration, and recognition for impactful innovation.

Past winners of the SLASSCOM National Ingenuity Awards continue to illustrate the extraordinary breadth of innovation emerging across Sri Lanka. These include IoT-enabled sustainable agriculture platforms and intelligent agri-distribution systems, AI-powered invoice automation solutions achieving up to 90% faster processing with significantly reduced errors and paper usage, AI-driven speech therapy innovations, and pioneering STEM, robotics, and AI education initiatives. From schools and universities to startups and corporates, these innovations reflect a growing culture of problem-solving and technological excellence that is steadily positioning Sri Lanka as a rising innovation hub.

The SLASSCOM National Ingenuity Awards 2026 is powered by National Trust Bank (NTB) as Corporate Sponsor, ZOHO as Strategic Sponsor, Sysco LABS, Vital Hub, Innodata as Category Sponsors, and Deloitte as Process and Governance Partner, ensuring transparency, credibility, and integrity throughout the evaluation process.

The initiative is further strengthened by national partners including the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Digital Economy, and the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, alongside a strong network of ecosystem partners such as the Export Development Board (EDB), CSSL, FITIS, IEEE, ACCA, Lanka Angel Network (LAN), Hatch, nVentures, TRACE, AMCHAM, National Chamber of Exporters (NCE), AICPA-CIMA, NCIT, Fintech Association of Sri Lanka, and the Exporters’ Association of Sri Lanka (EASL).