Startups Wheelchair House and ExamHub took home Rs3 million and Rs2 million, respectively, following the second iteration of Hemas x Hatch Slingshot. This award, granted during the Hemas x Hatch Slingshot 2.0 event on February 06, 2025, was the culmination of six months of business consultations, workshops, exposure visits, and mentorship where eight startups refined their business models, gained strategic guidance from Hemas and Hatch, and built strong corporate connections. Notably, the award followed a series of live pitches from the startups in question.
Hemas x Hatch Slingshot 2.0 is a Business Accelerator that is designed to discover and support high-potential startups in Education Technology (EdTech), Consumer goods, LogiTech, and HealthTech. Prior to the 6-month accelerator programme, 25 startups from around Sri Lanka were selected for an intensive bootcamp, and the most promising eight of these were then inducted into the accelerator, where they were given access to several more resources that could boost their reach and marketability.
This programme showed that Sri Lankan innovation can germinate anywhere, even outside established companies. “Slingshot 2.0 is a testament to our commitment to fostering innovation and empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka,” said Rizny Faisal, Chief Strategy and Growth Officer at Hemas, referring to the startups present. Hemas realized that it could not tackle these problems alone, so it opted to support teams that showed potential instead. Faisal continued, “Through this accelerator, we are not just supporting startups—we are building an ecosystem where bold ideas can thrive, scale, and create lasting impact. The success of Wheelchair House, Exam Hub, and all our Slingshot 2.0 finalists highlights the immense potential of Sri Lankan entrepreneurship, and we are proud to play a role in their journey toward transformation and growth.
Wheelchair House (Winner)
Wheelchair House was founded on the idea that people with disabilities deserve mobility aids that accommodate their unique needs. According to the company, the one-size-fits-all approach is a disservice to many wheelchair users, given they may have additional impairments or other issues that prevent them from using their wheelchair effectively or comfortably. Unfortunately, there were no manufacturers in Sri Lanka that provided such products, and importing them often proved too costly for the average person.
When Wheelchair House was founded in 2012, its central mission was to design and manufacture wheelchairs (and other mobility aids) that were customized to each individual user. The company also prioritized greater affordability, a target they have long since reached given their wheelchairs retail for Rs100,000 in a market where a customer would have to pay between Rs200,000 – 500,000 if they wished to import a similar product. Today, Wheelchair House is the only company offering these specialized products in Sri Lanka. Over the coming year, it intends to ramp up its production in order to meet the needs of the entire island’s disabled communities.
ExamHub (Runner Up)
ExamHub seeks to make learning more fun and engaging for young minds, especially those who have a competitive spirit. Positioning itself as a mobile learning application for students in Sri Lanka and around the world, ExamHub set out to help students by gamifying how they approach the practice of study itself.
During its pitch, the company shared that students, both in Sri Lanka and around the world, experience similar issues with learning. For instance, only 60% of students take the time to do past or model papers prior to their official examinations. Similarly, only 30% review their answers, only 10% study again once they identify an incorrect answer, and as much as 40% do not study for an exam at all.
To counter this, a student can download ExamHub on a compatible mobile device and push themselves to beat their own high scores or even their friends as they would in any other game. Correct answers are awarded points, and the app can be used for no more than Rs3 per day, paid via mobile credit. 850,000 students are registered with ExamHub in Sri Lanka alone, and 65,000 students actively use it every month.
BISTEC Care
BISTEC Care is a purpose-built medical practice management platform that is capable of attending to a variety of administrative and clinical tasks. It is available as a web and mobile app, and it features specialized doctor and patient portals.
With the app’s help, doctors can manage their schedules, record patient histories and treatment details, manage inventory, create invoices, take new appointments, request detailed analytics in real-time and more. Patients are similarly able to make appointments at any time of the day, as the system is automated, and notifications and alerts can be forwarded to their device via SMS when required.
During the pitch, the company noted that one of the chief challenges it faces is that doctors feel little incentive to learn a new system, regardless of the advantages it offers. To counter this, the company is investigating how modern technologies can reduce the hassle of onboarding.
For instance, BISTEC Care has begun to implement AI-based features, including voice-to-text and a chatbot, that aim to increase ease of use for doctors and patients alike. The voice-to-text function, for instance, enables doctors to create patient histories without manual typing, and summaries can similarly be created on demand.
Aagee.AI
Aagee.AI pitched a group of AI agents that were designed to solve a range of problems in medical settings. Collectively known as AIGP, these Large Language Model (LLM) -based AI agents can interact with and provide information to users based on carefully curated medical data. Notably, several members of the Aagee.AI team are practising doctors, a fact which enables them to analyse these agents with a critical, informed eye.
The first AI agent, Anzu, is WhatsApp-based, allowing users to discuss their symptoms and receive advice on demand. Anzu is able to remember the context of a patient’s medical history, using this as well as its store of medical knowledge to help users narrow down their concerns. Anzu will also check in periodically with users if they have reported certain symptoms, such as fevers, to ensure the appropriate measures are being taken to address them.
The company’s next AI agent is Doctor Assist, which can voice chat with patients. Any information shared with Doctor Assist will be submitted as a report, with an accompanying analysis to a human doctor. Since Doctor Assist can perform this task with several patients simultaneously, doctors are freed to focus on treatment. In turn, this allows them to spend more time treating patients. Otis, the last agent, functions similarly to Anzu. However, it can also utilize image recognition to detect the signs of sexually transmitted illnesses (STIs) on genitalia.
Beautonic
Beautonic is an organic herbal skincare, haircare, bath, and body care brand. Their small-batch cosmeceutical products are handcrafted with high-quality ingredients, based on Ayurvedic teachings, and their pitch involved reaching out to the beauty- and wellness-conscious consumer.
According to the company, consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the substances they introduce to their bodies, and more are avoiding products that are created with harsh chemicals or toxic ingredients. However, those who want an alternative to such products would find ingredients that were just as unfamiliar as the big brands to beauty routines that were too complicated to participate in.
Beautonic said their products exclusively utilize natural extractions, Ayurvedic oils, and so on, in modern formulations. These products have no harsh chemicals, be they body lotions, facial care solutions, or any other offering. Further, the company observed an opportunity to position itself as a competitor to products created in countries like India. Amongst consumers, Sri Lankan products in this category have a reputation for being of higher quality, and they aim to leverage this to reach customers who want the best possible options to choose from. Beautonic seeks to offer a simple and effective route to skincare, harmonizing beauty and wellness in the process.
Ophtha Innovations
Ophtha Innovations offers a product that can detect diabetic retinopathy in its early stages, with a specificity of 97%. Known as Ophtha, this AI-based automatic eye screening system enables diabetic patients to screen themselves while getting a fundoscopy test, making the recommended yearly checkup much more convenient for the average individual. Ophtha has also been endorsed by the College of Ophthalmologists in Sri Lanka.
The company emphasizes that this condition, which eventually leads to blindness, could happen to anyone. Notably, it is the leading cause of blindness among working adults, and half a billion of the world population is at risk of having this condition. The company has already worked with several other parties in order to push their research forward. To date, for instance, they have been funded through grants, particularly from the Japanese government authorities, a fact which the company says served to lend credibility to its product.
Ophtha Innovations has successfully developed pilot partnerships with two local opticians as well as an international partnership with Japanese manufacturers. On top of this, they are having ongoing discussions with Optimax, a leading optician in Malaysia.
Four Elements
Four Elements aims to distill complex beauty routines into a straightforward path that any customer would find easy to follow. According to the company, the sheer variety of products and information now available online can make it nearly impossible for the average consumer to determine what is best for them, a problem that is exacerbated by continuously evolving beauty trends.
The company utilizes local herbs and plants and scientific research to craft balanced beauty rituals that address modern beauty needs. These needs include adequate hydration, nourishment, radiance, and protection, and the company says its products are designed to provide a sensory wellness experience that exemplifies the natural world.
As an eco-friendly niche brand, Four Elements primarily resonates with eco-conscious consumers and wellness tourists who seek natural beauty products. This has enhanced the company’s reception in areas with heavy tourist footfalls, and the company reports that 40% of its customers hail from abroad. They have served 2,500 online consumers in 2024 by selling more than 4,700 products, and they recorded a customer growth rate of 80% in the same period.
Phrasecode
Phrasecode built Curemanage, a cloud-based pharmacy management platform that replaces a spectrum of manual processes with digital solutions. This virtual dashboard is designed to give pharmacies more control and oversight over their operations, from automatically tracking inventory and orders to providing critical analytics. Designed to be scalable, secure, and accessible, the platform will help pharmacy owners make informed decisions about their business.
Partnering to Drive Innovation and Social Impact
Hemas and Hatch believe that the collaboration between corporates and startups is essential for fostering a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem in Sri Lanka. As Mevan Peiris, CEO of Hatch, commented, “We have an excellent reference in countries like India, where the startup ecosystem has leapfrogged over the past decade. This transformation has been largely driven by established corporates making significant investments in R&D, innovation, and entrepreneurial support.
This approach has not only accelerated startup growth but has also enabled corporates to become more agile and innovative. Ultimately, it has benefited the broader economy by unlocking new business opportunities and driving value creation.”
Initiatives such as the Hemas x Hatch Slingshot Accelerator exemplify the potential for positive change, with startups like Wheelchair House and ExamHub paving the way for future innovation. As these ventures continue to scale, they not only promise to reshape Sri Lanka’s business landscape but also create long-term value for the lives they touch, demonstrating the impact of corporate-startup partnerships in driving sustainable growth and progress.