APIIT Sandbox 2025: Empowering the Next Generation of Young Sri Lankan Innovators, Powered by John Keells Office Automation
View(s):The Entrepreneurship Club of APIIT successfully hosted the grand finale of its flagship event, the Sandbox Inter-School Business Pitching Competition 2025, on the 09th of October 2025 at the Lotus Hall, BMICH. This year’s edition was an unforgettable celebration of young entrepreneurs who dared to dream big, innovate boldly, and bring powerful ideas to life.
The competition saw remarkable participation from 38 schools, with 50 teams registering, reflecting the growing enthusiasm for entrepreneurship among Sri Lankan students. After an intense preliminary selection process, 33 teams advanced to the Grand Finale, where they pitched their ideas before an esteemed panel and a packed audience.
The journey to the finale unfolded across three phases: a workshop, the preliminary round, and finally the highly anticipated grand finale. The workshop phase equipped participants with essential skills in business modelling, pitching, and market understanding, ensuring that every team stepped onto the stage with confidence and clarity. The preliminary round saw intense competition as 33 teams were selected from a pool of 50, advancing to the grand finale with their innovative business ideas.
At the grand finale, each team took the spotlight for a 5-minute pitch, followed by a 5-minute Q&A session with the judges. The pitches were sustainable, community, and tech-driven initiatives that showcased an extraordinary level of creativity, strategic thinking, and real-world relevance. The energy, passion, and innovation displayed by the participants made Sandbox 2025 one of the most inspiring editions yet.
This year’s winners were:
Champions – St. Joseph’s College, Negombo
Runners Up – Trinity College, Kandy
2nd Runners Up – St. Benedict’s College, Colombo
In addition to the main awards, several special recognitions highlighted outstanding performance across key entrepreneurial areas:
• Most Innovative Business Idea –
St. Benedict’s College
• Most Popular Business Idea –
St. Benedict’s College
• Best Community Relevance –
St. Benedict’s College
• Most Outstanding Presenter – Julian Samuel Anthony Prithiviraj, De Mazenod College, Kandana
These achievements reflect the exceptional hard work and creativity demonstrated by all competing teams.
The judging panel consisted of respected industry leaders whose insights elevated the experience for participants:
• Mr. Suresh Pathirana – CEO, Hatch Works
• Mr. Sandun Hapugoda – Country Manager (Sri Lanka & Maldives), Mastercard
• Ms. Nathasha Egodage – Chief Purpose Officer, Ceyline Group
• Mr. Dhanushka Fernando – CEO, FCV Group of Companies & INMARC Incorporation
• Ms. Anika Williamson – Director, JAT Property Group
• Mr. Hasitha Wijesundara – Senior Economist & Attorney-at-Law
• Mr. Asel Gunawardana – Head of Operations, Lankan Angel Network
Their thoughtful feedback during the Q&A sessions provided invaluable guidance to the students, touching on feasibility, community impact, business scalability, branding, and long-term relevance.
The event concluded with a celebratory awards ceremony, honouring the winners and acknowledging the exceptional talent that graced this year’s competition. Beyond the trophies and recognition, Sandbox 2025 offered students a strong platform to gain real-world entrepreneurial exposure, learn from leading industry experts, and connect with like-minded peers.
Building on the growing success of the event each year, the Entrepreneurship Club of APIIT remains committed to strengthening Sandbox as one of Sri Lanka’s most impactful inter-school entrepreneurship initiatives, continuing its mission to inspire, educate, and empower the innovators of tomorrow.
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