From left: SPARK 2023 First Runner-Up Malindu Pradinath, SPARK 2023 Third Runner-Up Helani Dinali, ILO Chief Technical Advisor Dr. Thomas Kring, SPARK 2023 Winner Mihindi Minupama, SPARK 2023 Second Runner-Up Kavindi Ranasinghe and Chamber of Commerce Senior Assistant Secretary General Manori Dissanayaka

The SPARK Skilled Youth Entrepreneurship Competition, a national competitive platform designed to inspire and empower aspiring young entrepreneurs across the nation, has commenced accepting applications from youth aged 15-30 years, for its 2024 edition.  

Organised by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, SPARK is a unique competition that focuses on entrepreneurship skills development and exposure for both school students as well as young adults, in two distinct categories: School Category and Open Category.  The competition aims to upskill budding entrepreneurs to transform their ideas into viable business propositions.

Ceylon Chamber of Commerce CEO Buwenakabahu Perera said, “We are committed to sustaining the SPARK platform with active collaboration from our private sector partners, to nurture young ambitions and showcase the potential of the next generation of Sri Lankan entrepreneurs.”     

SPARK 2024 marks the second consecutive year of unfolding future entrepreneurship possibilities for youth. Last year’s top competitors excelled at developing business plans through online workshops, business pitching, a bootcamp and one-on-one mentoring. Winners received a once in a lifetime exposure to advanced innovation eco systems in Hyderabad, India.

SPARK 2024 is supported by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), South Asia Leadership in Entrepreneurship (SALE) project and funded by the US Department of State, with the aim of promoting youth entrepreneurship in Sri Lanka by enabling the environment for start-up businesses and boosting interest in entrepreneurship. 

“As the potential and resilience of Sri Lanka’s young entrepreneurs shine brightly, we invite youth to apply to the competition and pitch their ideas and solutions for the pressing challenges of our era. Our support is aimed at empowering young people as they evolve into the entrepreneurial world. Competitors gain invaluable skills while the winners gain exposure through an international visit to experience foreign entrepreneurial ecosystems and benefit from extended networking opportunities for potential business partnerships,” said ILO Chief Technical Advisor Dr. Thomas Kring. 

The SPARK 2024 Youth Skilled Entrepreneurship Competition will culminate in a grand finale in September. Students with entrepreneurial ambitions and young innovators are invited to apply now, via the SPARK website  https://spark.chamber.lk/. Entries close on July 30, 2024.