Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya met with Dr. Nadeesha Chandrasena, the Sri Lankan inventor of the award-winning Smart Drain system, following its global recognition at the 2025 WIPO Global Awards in Geneva.
Dr. Chandrasena’s innovation, developed through the local startup Urban Inventors, was named one of ten global winners at the prestigious World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) awards.
Selected from a record 780 applications from 95 countries, Smart Drain was recognised for its innovative solution to urban flooding, a growing problem in rapidly expanding cities.
The patented Smart Drain system ensures continuous water flow even when conventional drains are blocked by debris, filtering solid waste while maintaining effective drainage.
This scalable and climate-resilient technology offers an important tool for urban planners seeking sustainable flood management solutions.
The WIPO awards ceremony was held on 11 July during the annual WIPO Assemblies in Geneva, where Director General Daren Tang presented trophies to the winners and special awards for Best Woman Entrepreneur and Best Youth Entrepreneur.
Winners also had the opportunity to engage directly with global intellectual property policymakers to discuss innovation and commercialisation needs.
The Smart Drain team includes inventor Dr. Nadeesha Chandrasena, co-inventor Sujeewa Kokawala, drainage engineer Lahiru Prasanga, technology partner Sahan Ranasinghe, and several other experts in design, citizen science, and strategic advising.
