IESL Launches National Startup Challenge 2026/27 to Turn Engineers into Entrepreneurs

The Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka (IESL), through its Entrepreneurship Forum, has launched the IESL National Startup Challenge 2026/27, a national programme aimed at creating a structured pathway to transform engineers into entrepreneurs and strengthen a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship within Sri Lanka’s engineering community.

The programme was officially launched at the Dialog Auditorium in Colombo, with Dialog Axiata PLC serving as the Title Partner.

The National Startup Challenge is designed as more than a competition, with the 12-month programme taking participants on a structured journey from developing a business idea to building a viable enterprise.

Through the programme, aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators will be connected with industry expertise, training, mentorship, business incubation and acceleration facilities, partnerships, commercialisation opportunities and access to markets.

The challenge is open to engineering undergraduates, engineering professionals and non-engineers under an open category. Applications are being invited across 12 innovation areas aligned with national priorities, emerging technologies, market opportunities and inclusive innovation.

Selected participants will undergo a structured development process covering idea development, planning and validation, business pitching, incubation, prototype development, Minimum Viable Product (MVP) development, commercialisation and business expansion.

The programme will be conducted with the support of industry experts, mentors and ecosystem partners, with the Top 10 business projects eventually selected.

The winner of the competition will receive a cash prize of Rs. 1 million.

In addition to serving as the Title Partner, Dialog Axiata PLC will provide participating teams with technical expertise, mentorship and digital resources to support the development, validation and scaling of their solutions.

Each of the Top 10 teams will also receive a Dialog Startup Support Package valued at Rs. 250,000, comprising selected Dialog digital products and services.

IESL Entrepreneurship Forum Chairperson Engineer Jasmine Nanayakkara said the programme had been designed to connect aspiring entrepreneurs with industry expertise, mentorship and continuous practical support to transform innovative ideas into viable businesses.

She said the initiative was particularly focused on creating an “Engineer to Entrepreneur” transformation and fostering a strong entrepreneurial culture within the IESL community.

Nanayakkara said IESL expected the programme to contribute to creating new businesses, opportunities and meaningful employment for the next generation of skilled and knowledgeable Sri Lankans by encouraging engineers and aspiring entrepreneurs to develop, commercialise and scale solutions.

She also thanked Dialog for partnering with IESL to create a pathway supporting innovation, entrepreneurship and national economic growth.

Supun Weerasinghe, Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of Dialog Axiata PLC, said Dialog was committed to empowering the next generation of innovators in Sri Lanka by connecting entrepreneurial ambitions with the technology, expertise and practical resources required to transform ideas into scalable businesses.

He said through the IESL National Startup Challenge, promising teams would have access to Dialog’s digital capabilities, mentorship and ecosystem support to progress from an initial concept towards validation and investment readiness.

The IESL National Startup Challenge 2026/27 is intended to strengthen Sri Lanka’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem by creating a structured pathway for promising ideas to be transformed into market-ready businesses.

Applications are currently being accepted through the announcements section of the IESL website, with the application deadline set for November 16, 2026.

Participants will have the opportunity to receive mentorship, business development support and industry exposure throughout the 12-month programme, while competing for the Rs. 1 million first prize and additional practical support from Dialog.