Building Capacities for Sri Lankan Start-ups in the Renewable Energy Domain

On 8 May, Invest India and the International Solar Alliance in partnership with the High Commission of India in Colombo, organized a one-day workshop, bringing together Sri Lanka’s solar start-up ecosystem. The event aimed to introduce participants to the SolarX Start-up Challenge: APAC Edition and its benefits. The workshop included detailed sessions outlining the features and advantages of participating in the SolarX Start-up Challenge.

Dr. Satyanjal Pandey, Deputy High Commissioner of India, delivered the keynote address, highlighting the growth potential of the renewable energy sector in India and opportunities for collaboration. He also spoke about upcoming initiatives designed to support Sri Lanka’s startup ecosystem in this field. Participants included representatives from Sri Lanka’s leading incubators and universities.

SolarX Startup Challenge aims to crowd source implementable, cost-effective, scalable, and innovative solutions to some of the persistent challenges faced by the solar energy sector of the member countries. The first edition was focused on the African region. The second edition will focus on the APAC region, aiming to promote innovation and discover local solutions, with the over-arching objective of capacity building. The Challenge offers a USD 15,000 prize along with opportunities for mentorship and market access assistance. Further details may be accessed at https://www.investindia.gov.in/solarx-startup-challenge.

Overall, the event fostered collaboration and knowledge-sharing among key stakeholders in the solar startup ecosystem, while also emphasizing the increasing opportunities for growth in the renewable energy sector.