Youth Enterprise Award - Winners announced
British Council and HSBC are pleased to announce the winners of the Youth Enterprise Challenge 2011. Congratulations!
GREENERS - GROWING, LIVING AND LOVING: CELEBRATING LIFE WITH GROWING GIFTS
WINNER | CATEGORY: AGRICULTURE
Team Institution
Apsara Senanayake
Nishadi Rajapakshe
Chandika Gunathilake
Rashendra Gunawardena
Maduranga Udugampola ANC University College, Missouri-University of Science and Technology, USA
Uva Wellassa University
Uva Wellassa University
University Of Colombo
University of Keleniya
Concept
'It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving' .We are Greeners, the young aspiring innovators anticipating to make a revolution in the gift giving industry. Our business concept is to produce plants as gift items, personalised according to the requirement of each customer. These gift items are presented in various designer settings decorated by different wrappers and accessories to symbolise every memorable event in life. We will strive to satisfy our customers by making them give a gift that grows and make them feel special and appreciated by their loved ones. The uniqueness of our product is that it strengths up the cohesion in between priceless values related to environmental and emotional notions.
ChitoExpo - Extracting Chitosan from waste prawn shells for the export market
WINNER | CATEGORY: AGRICULTURE
Team Institution
Sasika Gunasekara
Channa Gunasekera
Chanaka Herath
Rukshan Sameera
Nadeeshani Edirisinghe University of Moratuwa
Concept
Our business is producing ‘Chitosan’ a fine chemical compound, using locally available waste-prawn shells and thereby being a supplier to the global ‘Chitosan’ market. ‘Chitosan’ has a number of commercial uses mainly in agriculture, medicine and waste water treatment. Opportunity lies in the increasing demand for the compound in the global market where a CAGR of 12% from 2010 to 2015 is expected. In 2010 global market for ‘Chitosan’ was 13,700MT and it is expected to increase up to 53,000MT by 2015. However, the projected supply would not match the future demand. The idea is innovative as this is the first time ‘Chitosan’ is to be manufactured in Sri Lanka. The extraction process is eco-friendly as the main raw material, prawn shell is considered as waste in the Sri Lankan market. The extraction process is a scale up of a research project done at a local University.
Careers Inc. - Web based recruitment service
WINNER | CATEGORY: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
Team Institution
Thiran Sellahewa
Anushka Fernando
Chathura Kankanamge
University of Moratuwa
Institute of Personnel Management
University of Moratuwa
Concept
Our business is to provide companies and job seekers with a more holistic service than what is currently offered by the job-sites or recruitment agencies. Job seekers can register in our website and view and apply for job opportunities listed thereof. Companies can opt to utilise our team’s qualified HR personnel to conduct preliminary interviews of the applicants.
Spotlight - Online portal for community welfare
RUNNER-UP | CATEGORY: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
Team Institution
Rangitha Kuruppu
Rifaz Rifky
Gihan Deshapriya
APIIT Sri Lanka
Concept
Our business is a website which acts as an online portal and a meeting place for Sri Lankan public to publish day to day issues faced by them. The website functions as a social medium which allows the users to bring up any issue (administrative, environmental etc.) that they think needs the attention of other citizens and governmental bodies. Users will submit issues, vote them according to their importance and relevance and the application will direct them to the relevant authorities to be considered for action. Since Sri Lanka does not presently have a popular community portal such as this, it will be a novel and a unique experience to the public. This project helps the public to voice their issues with ease and in turn assists the relevant authorities to understand the pressing needs of the public.
R. C. PALMYRAH PRODUCTS
WINNER | CATEGORY: CREATIVE INDUSTRIES
Team Institution
Rohani Christalin Mariyathash Uva Wellassa University
Concept
My business is to use the different parts of the palmyrah tree such as tender leaf, palmyrah cane, mid-ribs, fibre, leaf stalk etc. to produce a variety of products including handicrafts such as watch-straps, foot-ware straps, wedding decorations. Palmyrah fruit will be used to make soap because it contains cleansing substance that removes dirt from cloths. Medicinal oil will be produced using the young palmyrah stem. Palmyrah pulp will be used to make different kinds of sweets.
Les Chapeaux - Fashionable hats made of recycled material
RUNNER-UP | CATEGORY: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
Team Institution
Thakshila Weliange
Subhashini Chandrasiri
Oshadie Amarasinghe
Binnduka Chapa Kariyawasam
University of Moratuwa
Concept
Hats, one of the prominent accessories in modern fashion world, are part of the growing design revolution and trend of youth. In retrospect, industry of fashion confined itself only to clothing design and manufacturing where accessories got lesser attention. Yet the time has changed and those with fashion infused in their heart and soul demand more fashionable accessories emphasizing that they need not only be functional products but also fashionable. Our business is producing ‘Fashionable Hats’ focusing on stylised designs that uses environmentally sensitive fabrics and responsible production techniques.
E3 - Pet Bottles up-cycled to Surf Boards
WINNER | CATEGORY: ENGINEERING
Team Institution
Perassanna Ariyarathinam
Udana Warnakulasooriya
R D Thilini Rathnamali Subasinghe
D M Chathura Bandara
Uva Wellassa University
Concept
E3 is a recycling business with the greater concern on three elements i.e. Environment, Ethics and Entrepreneurship. E3 will initially have two products i.e. RPET and Surfboards. RPET has an excess demand and high price. Surfboard is our brand and reputation builder and future of E3. PET bottles will be collected through selected suppliers, via lower income youth. Produced RPET will be exported and a certain amount of RPET will be used as raw material for surfboard production.
Accuro - The Electronic Quality Control Device for Apparel Industry
WINNER | CATEGORY: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
Team Institution
D Poorna Dimuthu Senaratna
G W Charitha Saumya
R M Aruna Upul Senarath
Pramodya R Senanayaka
K M Viraj Rangana Senevirathne University of Moratuwa
Concept
ACCURO is a measurement checking device for quality controlling in readymade garments. For quality controlling purposes, many readymade garments are checked several times whether they are according to the correct measurements using a conventional measuring tape which is time consuming. ACCURO automatically decides whether the garment is in correct measurements and it stores the statistics of the measurements for further analysis as well. Therefore this device speeds up the process, making it easy and convenient for the workers, ensuring productivity improvement.
EcoEcho - Eco Paper Pens
WINNER | CATEGORY: RENEWABLE ENERGY AND SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRIES
Team Institution
Withanage Dishani Ushmika
Dilani Wathsala Dantanarayana
Sepali Erandika Wijerathna Ponnamperuma
Dona Gawri Lasanthika Amarathunga
Sabaragamuwa University
Concept
Our key product ‘Eco Paper Pen’ is made from recycled papers. What is unique about this pen is that it is biodegradable and has no unfavourable impact to the environment. Our pen is not just a simple, traditional, typical pen but a unique, innovative and creative one.
Harvest - Renewable Energy Generation & Corporate Energy Planning
RUNNER-UP | CATEGORY: RENEWABLE ENERGY AND SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRIES
Team Institution
Tisura Gamage
Sachille Atapattu
Rashmi Woranga
Isuru Ovin
Narmadha Amarasinghe
University of Moratuwa
Concept
As a renewable energy company and an engineering consultancy firm we have developed an innovative and economical wind power unit for mainly households and industries.
