Dialog and Ideamart powered Angelhack Sri Lanka concludes on high note
The Sri Lankan instalment of the world’s largest hackathon, Angelhack, was powered by Dialog and Ideamart for the third consecutive year and concluded on a successful note as several aspiring entrepreneurs presented their business ideas and technological solutions to an eminent panel of judges at the Dialog Auditorium.
The 32-hour hackathon saw 16 teams gather to present business ideas in detail, targeted at specific user groups. Teams were to build a product or service using technology within the span of 24 hours, with judging criteria based on fundability, execution, UI/UX, originality and scalability, under the theme ‘Seamless Technology’. Teams were guided by mentors Hyperhash CEO Ravihans Wetakepotha, Hyperhash Chief Growth Officer Shan Perera, Shoutout Labs CEO Tharindu Dassanayake, Mogo Super Director and CEO Vimukthi Liyanage, Loons Lab Founder and Director Pulani Ranasinghe, Nanosoft Global CEO Sanjeewa Sampath Pathirana, Dialog Axiata PLC Ideabiz Account Manager Lakal Fernando and Hyperhash Chief Growth Officer Lahiru Perera, prior to ‘pitching’ the idea.
The categories of the hackathon included the ‘Angelhack Challenge’, the ‘Code For A Cause Impact Award Challenge’ and the ‘IBM Challenge’ and was judged by Dialog Axiata PLC Group Chief Operating Officer Dr. Rainer Deutschmann, Nations Trust Bank Chief Operating Officer Thilak Piyadigama, Thuru and Venture Frontier Lanka Founder Heminda Jayaweera and Pickme and Yoho Bed Co-founder Faththi Mohammed.
Team ‘Wedding House Makers’ who made the most compelling product, received an invitation to Angelhack’s 12-week Hackcelerator programme as first place recipients and will be guided and mentored to by Top Notch Silicon Valley Tech personalities. The team comprising of Harshi Samarasekera, Clement Fernando, Ishara Abeykoon and Dinuka Wanasinghe, developed a mobile application for wedding planning management based on the user’s likes/dislikes.
The Code For A Cause Impact Award was won by Smarttrade for pitching their idea on a B2B and G2B procurement and tender management platform that enforces honesty in trade through transparency, authenticity and trust, using blockchain technology. The team consisted of Dileepa Jayakody, Philip Martil, Ayeshmantha Perera, Pavithra Prabodha and Nirojan Selvanathan.
Commenting on the event, Dialog Axiata PLC Ideamart MIFE Business and IOT Head Viranga Seneviratne said: “International platforms such as Angelhack provide local talent with much needed opportunity to showcase their business ideas globally.
It does not only involve development but teams are mentored to by industry experts on soft skills and pitching business ideas, encouraging a generation of new ideas and initiatives that will enrich lives, enterprises and the Sri Lankan community.”