Leading Norwegian technology company 99x has partnered with Yarl Geek Challenge, the flagship event of Yarl IT Hub (YIT), for the 8^th consecutive year. The annual competition invites young minds to tackle some of the world’s most challenging problems with technology. Established in two categories, YGC - Senior takes place intending to create a healthy startup ecosystem. Its counterpart, YGC – Junior, is a school-level IT competition designed to encourage creativity in IT.

Over the years, 99x has been actively engaged with Yarl IT Hub to identify outstanding tech talent at the Yarl Geek Challenge and helping many innovators from the Northern Province to bring their ideas to life. As a responsible industry player, 99x understands the importance of nurturing IT skills and entrepreneurship among Sri Lankans, especially the youth. In such a context, 99x has played an integral part at the Yarl Geek Challenge by mentoring and coaching individuals while helping unearth great startup ideas from the region.

Commenting on his experience as a judge at the Yarl Geek Challenge 2022, Hasith Yaggahavita, Chief Technology Officer at 99x, said: “We have seen talented youth from the Northern Province entering the local IT industry through the Yarl Geek Challenge. 99x has been a part of this unique platform because, as a company, we have realized the great potential for this part of the country to be the next Silicon Valley. In that regard, 99x will continue to support Yarl IT Hub and Yarl Geek Challenge to expand great technology ideas by coaching and mentoring startups.”

Yarl IT Hub is a not-for-profit social enterprise striving to inspire, support, and foster technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the community. An organization by the community for the community, the Yarl IT Hub community consists of all those who share the dream of making Jaffna into the next Silicon Valley and abide by the core values of the organization, including transparency, maintaining technology, and corporate independence.

Headquartered in Norway, with offices in Oslo and Colombo, 99x is a product engineering company co-creating well-engineered, innovative digital products for the Scandinavian market. Its expertise has been proven through a portfolio of over 150 impactful global digital products developed since 2004, together with leading Independent Software Vendors (ISVs). 99x employs over 400 technologies and product specialists, who are high achievers, creative thinkers, and team players.