Thakshila Central- Horana wins the Overall title S. Thomas’ College marks 175th anniversary with schools innovation event

All the winning teams

Ladies College Travel Sri

Overall Winner Thakshila College Horana

Twenty five shortlisted finalists showcased their innovations from schools across the country and the winners were chosen by a panel of judges under three main categories namely National innovations, Most impactful solutions and Best Female-Led team

 

By  Manjula D. Phillips

Thakshila Central College,  Horana,  emerged as the winner of the overall category at the first-ever All–Island Schools National Startup Innovation event which took place last Sunday at the S. Thomas’ School premises.  

The Runner Up award of the overall category was won by Ladies College, Colombo,  while the 2ndRunner Up award was won by S.Thomas’ Preparatory School.

Twenty five shortlisted finalists showcased their innovations from schools across the country and the winners were chosen by a panel of judges under three main categories namely National innovations, Most impactful solutions and Best Female-Led team. The innovation exhibition showcased new inventions, technologies, and ideas from various fields, including engineering, science, and entrepreneurship by the schools. It was noteworthy to observe that five teams from Jaffna College Vaddukoddai took part in the event.

On parallel to celebrating its 175 anniversary this year, S. Thomas’ College Colombo has organised the first-ever All –Island Schools National Startup Innovation event. Despite  this event, S. Thomas College 175th Anniversary Celebrations are taking place through  several more events that have engaged the student community across Sri Lanka during 2025 and will continue with a series of Special Events through 2026.

The event also has been organised by the College in collaboration with Global Entrepreneurship Week in November 2025. Global Entrepreneurship Week 2025 will take place from November 17 to November 23, 2025. This week-long celebration, organised by the Global Entrepreneurship Network, aims to inspire, connect, and empower entrepreneurs around the world through various activities, competitions, and events. The 2025 theme is “Together We Build,” highlighting how collaboration and collective effort drive economic growth and innovation.

Sampath Bank was the main sponsor for the event and the Lankan Angel Network’s involvement, along with hatch co-working space and Dialog Axiata,  ensures that participating young innovators gain critical support to accelerate their ventures on both national and international stages. 

This collective effort between S. Thomas’ College, Sampath Bank PLC, Lankan Angel Network, and other ecosystem partners embodies a bold vision,  and that is to inspire an island-wide culture of entrepreneurship, create opportunities for youth, and drive Sri Lanka’s innovation agenda forward. S.Thomas’ College has taken a step forward towards achieving this objective this year celebrating its 175th anniversary.

The list of  winners Overall Category

Winner - Biotrend - Thakshila Central College, Horana

Runner up – Travel Sri - Ladies College Colombo 07

2ndRunner Up - Helios Ride - S.Thomas’ Preparatory School

Most Impactful Solution Category

 Winner - Deaf Blind Walking stick - Asian International School

 Runner Up - Mindventors - Jaffna college  

2ndRunner Up - Smart wheel chair Project - Buddhist Ladies College

Best Female-Led Team Category

Winner - Tileva - Hejaaz International School (Girls)

Runner Up - Lanka Celebrations - Jaffna College

2ndRunner Up - Ecowrite - Hejaaz International School, Girls Section, Dehiwala