The Dialog Innovation Challenge (DIC), Sri Lanka's largest digital innovation competition, concluded with an impressive showcase of technological talent. The program, aired on TV Derana and Dialog Television's Channel One over a span of two months, culminated in a grand finale that highlighted its role in fostering technological advancement and local innovators. Supported by a diverse ecosystem of partners and guided by an esteemed panel of industry experts as judges, the competition proved to be a groundbreaking initiative.

The competition began with over 1,200 submissions, which were narrowed down to 50 teams featured in the television program. These shortlisted teams appeared in weekly episodes, leading to the selection of the finalists who competed in the grand finale. The finalists then presented their ideas to a distinguished panel of judges, including Dr. Harsha Subasinghe, President and CEO of CodeGen; Dr. Ramesh Shanmuganathan, Executive Vice President and Group CIO of John Keells Group; Sherin Cader, Chairperson of Nations Trust Bank PLC; and Prajeeth Balasubramaniam, Chairperson of Lankan Angel Network.

The top three winners of the DIC showcased significant innovation and impact. SeaLanka, which claimed the grand prize and a chance to pitch for further investment by the Dialog Innovation Fund, developed an AI-powered fishing zone prediction app to help Sri Lankan fishermen increase their catch and revenue. AudiPhix, the first runner-up, created a digital solution for individuals with Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD), improving their daily lives. Cubic, the second runner-up, introduced an IoT-based school transport system designed to ensure the safety of schoolchildren. Additionally, FlashGuard, smart glasses for epilepsy, and Smart Aqua, an IoT solution for shrimp farming, were recognised for their innovation and sustainability. Dialog is committed to supporting these groundbreaking solutions as they progress, including ongoing monitoring and assistance with monetisation.

“At Dialog, we believe innovation is key to progress and central to our brand promise of 'The Future.Today',” said Supun Weerasinghe, Director/Group Chief Executive of Dialog Axiata PLC. “We are honored to support visionary projects through the Dialog Innovation Challenge, helping to unlock Sri Lanka's immense talent and creativity while empowering and enriching lives and enterprises with cutting-edge technology. Our sincere gratitude goes to our partners for their invaluable support and mentorship, which were instrumental in enhancing participants' projects both technically and commercially. We are also grateful to TV Derana for helping bring the challenge to a wider audience, further contributing to its success.”

For more information, please visit https://ic.dialog.lk/

Photo - Group Chief Executive of Dialog Axiata PLC handing over the trophy to SeaLanka, Winner of Dialog Innovation Challenge (from left to right): Thushara Perera - Group Director Sales and Marketing of TV Derana, Supun Weerasinghe - Director/ Group Chief Executive of Dialog Axiata PLC and Team SeaLanka