Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya met with Dr Nadeesha Chandrasena, the visionary Sri Lankan inventor behind the award-winning Smart Drain system, following its global recognition at the 2025 WIPO Global Awards held in Geneva.
Dr Nadeesha Chandrasena’s innovation, developed under the local startup Urban Inventors, was named one of the ten global winners at the prestigious awards ceremony organised by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) — the United Nations agency dedicated to intellectual property, innovation, and creativity.
Selected from a record 780 applications submitted by startups and SMEs from 95 countries, Smart Drain was recognised for its groundbreaking contribution to solving urban flooding — a pressing issue in rapidly growing cities. The system’s patented design ensures continuous water flow even when conventional drains are blocked by debris. Its unique structure filters solid waste while allowing effective drainage, making it a scalable and climate-resilient solution for urban planners.
The awards ceremony took place on 11 July during the annual WIPO Assemblies in Geneva. WIPO Director General Daren Tang presented the trophies to the ten winners, along with special recognitions for Best Woman Entrepreneur and Best Youth Entrepreneur. The event also offered winners the opportunity to share their innovation and commercialisation needs directly with global IP policymakers.
The Smart Drain team includes Dr Nadeesha Chandrasena (founder and inventor), Sujeewa Kokawala (co-inventor), Lahiru Prasanga (drainage engineer), Sahan Ranasinghe (IoT and technology partner), Madusha Namudara (design engineer), Deon Joshua (citizen science and data innovation associate), Thisura Senarath (chief design officer), Dr Clarence Tan (strategic advisor), and Darshana Wimukthi (design officer).
