“The Award given to me by the CSSL when I was a school student motivated my journey to become a Tech Entrepreneur” – Dhanika Perera, Founder and CEO of Bhasha Lanka (Pvt) Ltd

The Computer Society of Sri Lanka (CSSL) successfully hosted its Annual CSSL Colloquium 2025 today at the Auditorium of the Department of Government Information, showcasing outstanding student software evaluation projects selected from universities across the country.

The event was inaugurated with an opening address by Mr Heshan Karunarathna, the President of CSSL, who emphasized the significance of the initiative in promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, and commercialization of student-led tech solutions. “One of our primary goals is to bridge student innovation with real-world impact,” the President noted. “Each of these projects represents more than code—it reflects commitment, vision, and the spirit of problem-solving.” He conveyed that the selected products will be provided an opportunity at the “Sri Lanka Digital Investment Summit 2025” to matchmake with potential investors, which is scheduled for October 16, 2025 along with the National IT Conference (NITC) 2025.

“This event is not only a showcase of innovation but a reflection of the immense potential within our student communities to contribute to national development through technology,”, said the  Chairperson of the CSSL Colloquium, Dr Nirosha Wedasinghe addressing a distinguished gathering of academia, industry representatives, government officials, and students.

The event also featured a keynote address by Mr. Dhanika Perera, Founder of Healkuru, PayHere, HelaPay, Esana and CEO of Bhasha Lanka (Pvt) Ltd, who inspired the audience with insights into the entrepreneurial journey and the importance of locally-driven digital solutions in shaping the future of Sri Lanka’s tech ecosystem. He conveyed that it was the Award given to him by the CSSL when he was a school student which motivated his journey to become a Tech Entrepreneur.

The journey to today’s showcase began with an open call for submissions from higher education institutions island-wide. A significant number of proposals were received, reflecting the creativity and technical expertise of Sri Lankan undergraduates. Following a rigorous first-round screening by a panel of experts, nine projects were shortlisted based on innovation, technical strength, and real-world applicability.

These shortlisted teams were then invited to deliver in-depth pitches before a high-profile evaluation panel and were selected for today’s colloquium, marking the culmination of a multi-stage review process.

The evaluation panel featured experts from multiple sectors, including government, public and private academia, and both local and international industry. The panel comprised Mr. Sumudu Ratnayake – Advisor - Digital Economy, Ministry of Digital Economy, Sri Lanka. Member Board of Directors -Road Development Authority , Mr. K.V. Kuganathan - Group Chief Information Officer Janashakthi Group, Commodore Janaka Gunaseela - Director General of the Centre for Defence Research and Development, Ministry of Defence Sri Lanka, Dr. Shanta Rajapaksha Yapa - Senior Academic Fellow, SLIIT Business School, Dr. Samanthi Wickramasinghe - Senior Lecturer in IT and Manager, Quality Assurance, ESOFT Metro Campus.

Evaluations were carried out using a structured Commercial Readiness Evaluation Framework. Criteria included product functionality, technical robustness, scalability, market fit, UI/UX design, commercialization readiness, and monetization strategy. The process was aligned with national innovation and commercialization priorities, ensuring projects were assessed not only for technical strength but for their deployment and economic potential.

The selected projects demonstrated strong potential for industry adoption and future scalability, covering a range of socially and commercially relevant issues. Attendees were encouraged to view these student innovations as emerging solutions with transformative potential.

In the closing remarks, the Chair extended heartfelt congratulations to the presenting teams. “Your dedication and creativity are admirable. I hope this experience motivates you to continue building and innovating for the future.”

The CSSL Colloquium 2025 concluded with a live showcase of the selected projects, drawing praise from attendees and reinforcing the importance of fostering student-driven innovation within Sri Lanka’s growing tech ecosystem.