The SPARK Skilled Youth Entrepreneurship Competition; a national competitive platform designed to inspire and empower aspiring young entrepreneurs across the nation, has commenced accepting applications from youth aged 15-30 years, for its 2024 edition. 

Organized by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, SPARK is a unique competition that focuses on entrepreneurship skills development and exposure for both school students as well as young adults, in two distinct categories – The School Category and the Open Category.  The competition aims to upskill budding entrepreneurs to transform their ideas into viable business propositions.

Commencing the call for applications, Buwenakabahu Perera, CEO, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce said, “We place a high priority on youth entrepreneurship development and recognise the role of young entrepreneurs in the future of Sri Lanka’s commercial sector. We are committed to sustaining the SPARK platform with active collaboration from our private sector partners, to nurture young ambitions and showcase the potential of the next generation of Sri Lankan entrepreneurs. An exciting competition awaits this year’s competitors, and we urge parents and educators to encourage youth participation.”     

SPARK 2024 marks the second consecutive year of unfolding future entrepreneurship possibilities for youth. Last year’s top competitors excelled at developing business plans through online workshops, business pitching, a bootcamp and one-on-one mentoring.  Winners received a once in a lifetime exposure to advanced innovation eco systems in Hyderabad, India.

Ignited by the thought that a small idea can make a big difference in the world, last year’s winner 16-year-old Mihindi Minupama Bandara shared, "I applied to SPARK with great expectations. I was successful in achieving my goal. It opened a clear path towards my entrepreneurial future. I believe that for a nation to develop and grow entrepreneurs are important. The SPARK competition helped develop the skills I need to become a successful entrepreneur.”

Inviting youth she added, “Everyone has a chance to participate in SPARK this year. I believe that while winning the SPARK competition is important, participating in the competition is also a victory. Therefore, I invite everyone not to miss this wonderful opportunity to make dreams a reality.”

Mihindi’s father, Lalith Sujeewa Bandara added, "My daughter was very interested in applying for the competition. I was not nervous about her ability in managing entrepreneurial activities with school education as she is able to balance her time well. I am happy that she participated in the SPARK competition. Participating in this competition enables her to go beyond traditional careers in her future success. Today, youth should have more opportunities to develop their skills and succeed. SPARK is an ideal platform to achieve this goal”.

Encouraging parents he said, “If your child displays an interest in entrepreneurship, I urge parents to provide them the opportunity to develop vital skills and pursue their dreams. I would like to suggest that you motivate them to participate in this year’s SPARK competition”.

SPARK 2024 is supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO), South Asia Leadership in Entrepreneurship (SALE) project, and funded by the US Department of State, with the aim of promoting youth entrepreneurship in Sri Lanka by enabling the environment for start-up businesses and boosting interest in entrepreneurship.

“As the potential and resilience of Sri Lanka’s young entrepreneurs shine brightly, we invite youth to apply to the competition and pitch their ideas and solutions for the pressing challenges of our era. Our support is aimed at empowering young people as they evolve into the entrepreneurial world. Competitors gain invaluable skills while the winners gain exposure through an international visit to experience foreign entrepreneurial ecosystems and benefit from extended networking opportunities for potential business partnerships,” said Dr. Thomas Kring, Chief Technical Advisor, ILO.

The SPARK 2024 Youth Skilled Entrepreneurship Competition will culminate in a grand finale in September. Students with entrepreneurial ambitions and young innovators are invited to apply now, via the SPARK website  https://spark.chamber.lk/. Entries close on 30^th July 2024.