Sri Lanka Artificial Intelligence Challenge
AI Challenge 2026 is a national-level AI innovation program designed to develop practical, measurable, real-world AI solutions. Unlike ordinary hackathons, this challenge follows a structured, multi-phase model with mentorship, adversarial testing, refinement cycles, and a physical final round.
This is Sri Lanka's most comprehensive and impact-focused AI competition, bridging academia, industry, and innovation.
the challenge & our solution
The Problem
- •Hackathons create one-off, incomplete ideas with no real-world usability
- •Students lack real-world product-building experience
- •Companies struggle to find AI talent to solve real world problems beyond theory
- •Need for structured, measurable innovation
Our Solution
A research-backed, multi-stage innovation framework that produces industry-ready solutions and talent by training participants to:
- ✓Frame problems clearly
- ✓Build real prototypes
- ✓Defend ideas under challenge
- ✓Patch, refine, test & deploy
- ✓Demonstrate measurable real-world impact
target audience
program model
- ●Follow guidelines and ideate
- ●Build V1 prototype
- ●Peer testing V1 prototypes
- ●Pitch sabotage
- ●Challenge & defense
- ●Optimize V2
- ●Fix issues
- ●Improve usability
- ●Remote reviews
- ●Live demo
- ●User validation
- ●Pitching
- ●Impact metrics
team forming guidelines
special challenge rounds
During the hackathon, you'll encounter surprise rounds designed to test resilience and product thinking.
Sabotage Round
(AI Battle)A phase where you have to defend your solution against rival teams.
Real User Interaction Round
(AI Impact)You will be given an entire phase to test your product with real users. Listen, observe, and improve based on their feedback.
programme timeline
- 1July – Week 03
Registrations
- 2July – Week 04
AI Buildathon
- Development Phase
- 3August – Week 03
AI Battle
- Pitch Sabotage Phase
- (15 Teams Selected)
- 4August – Week 03
AI Impact
- Real User Validation Phase
- (5 Teams Selected)
- 5August – Week 04
Grand Finale
Registrations
AI Buildathon
- Development Phase
AI Battle
- Pitch Sabotage Phase
- (15 Teams Selected)
AI Impact
- Real User Validation Phase
- (5 Teams Selected)
Grand Finale
impact for participants
Practical end-to-end AI product development skills
Experience in model robustness, testing, and refinement
Ability to defend solutions under pressure
Mentorship from industry and domain experts
Real-world validation & measurable outcomes
National recognition and certification from IEEE
Direct recruitment visibility to partner companies
High-value portfolio-ready project
value for partners
Gain unmatched access to Sri Lanka's top AI talent through a highly competitive, multi-phase innovation challenge.
Support a program that directly uplifts AI education and empowers future innovators.
Align with a national-level, IEEE-backed AI competition recognized across universities.
Measurable CSR impact aligned with SDG 17 through education, youth development, and national AI capacity building.
Gain wide exposure across IEEE and AIDSL's student and tech networks.
Mentor teams, judge final rounds, and demonstrate your organization's AI expertise.
Position your company as a leading AI innovator driving Sri Lanka's AI growth through real-world solutions.
fREquEntly AsKED QuEstioNs
our previous editions
Sri Lanka AI Challenge 2025 was a key initiative under IEEE Challenge Sphere SL, designed to provide a structured pathway for participants to gain hands-on experience and strengthen their skills in AI technologies through a series of workshops and a competitive hackathon.
Sri Lanka AI Challenge 2024 brought together aspiring innovators from across universities with a focus on Conditional UI and AI Agents. Participants gained hands-on experience through expert-led workshops, intensive mentoring, and a nationwide innovation challenge.