SLASSCOM Hack Like a Girl 2.0 Grand Finale Successfully Concludes

• The Hack Like a Girl 2.0 Hackathon concluded successfully with its Grand Finale.
• The event was organized by the SLASSCOM Women Technopreneurs Forum.
• It brought talented women from Sri Lankan universities

The Hack Like a Girl 2.0 Hackathon, a pivotal initiative to empower women in tech in Sri Lanka, recently concluded with a successful Grand Finale. Organized by the SLASSCOM Women Technopreneurs Forum, the event brought together talented women from Sri Lankan universities to display their creativity, technical expertise, and entrepreneurial drive.

The theme, "Innovating for a Better Tomorrow," inspired impactful solutions.

Building on the success of the 2022 edition, Hack Like a Girl 2.0 expanded to three regional chapters. The Hackathon ran from July to November 2024, addressing real-world issues in health, education, sustainability, agriculture, and tourism through technology.

Regional Mini Hackathons were held on November 2nd & 3rd, 2024, in the North & East, Central, and Southern & Western regions. These events served as incubators for creativity and teamwork, highlighting the talent and potential of female tech undergraduates.

The Grand Finale featured 12 outstanding teams, each presenting innovative solutions to a distinguished panel of judges.

Judges included Shehan Selvanayagam (Managing Director – Loops), Dr. Buddhima Subasinghe (Head, Student Life & Engagement, NIBM), Dr. Kalpana Ambepitiya (Director, Career Guidance Unit – KDU, Senior Lecturer – Entrepreneurship & Marketing, NIBM), and Abith Latiff (Head of Startup Ecosystem Development, ICT Agency of Sri Lanka).

Winning teams from Sabaragamuwa University, Vavuniya University, and IIT-KDU presented projects like a mobile app for child health tracking, a smart cane for the visually impaired, and a tour guide app with integrated hotel reservations.

The event featured inspiring speeches from Dr. Ruwani Nilushi Nugara (Professor at the Department of Bio Systems Technology, University of Sri Jayawardenepura), Dr. Kalpana Ambepitiya, and Thanuja Jayawardene (Head of Women’s Empowerment, Advocacy & Code of Conduct at MAS Holdings).

The Hackathon was made possible through the support of Collaboration Partner Royal Norwegian Embassy and Platinum Sponsor MAS Holdings, along with mentors and judges of the mini Hackathons.

Winning teams will receive funding in phases based on deliverables, providing a platform to showcase skills and ideas. These initiatives are designed to assist women at various stages of their entrepreneurial journey.

The Hackathons impact will continue to inspire women to innovate, lead, and pave the way for more female-led startups in Sri Lanka.