The Hack Like a Girl 2.0 Hackathon, a flagship initiative of the SLASSCOM Women Technopreneurs Forum, successfully concluded its Grand Finale, celebrating the innovation, technical skills, and entrepreneurial spirit of Sri Lankan women in technology.
Expanding on its 2022 debut, the 2024 edition introduced three regional chapters, allowing women from diverse backgrounds to compete in solving real-world challenges in health, education, sustainability, agriculture, and tourism through technology. Themed “Innovating for a Better Tomorrow,” the competition ran from July to November 2024, culminating in a Grand Finale featuring 12 outstanding teams.
Winning teams from Sabaragamuwa University, Vavuniya University, and IIT-KDU impressed judges with solutions such as a mobile app for child health tracking, a smart cane for the visually impaired, and an AI-driven tour guide app.
Supported by the Royal Norwegian Embassy and MAS Holdings, Hack Like a Girl 2.0 aims to bridge the gender gap in tech. Winning teams will receive funding based on deliverables, providing a launchpad for female-led tech startups. The SLASSCOM Women Technopreneurs Forum, established in 2020, continues its mission to empower women in tech, contributing to Sri Lanka’s goal of 1,000 new startups by 2030.