The FOUNTAIN Special Session – Sustainable Uni-Industry Engagement was successfully held on 14 December 2025 as a featured event of the Kandy Conference 2025, bringing together academics, industry leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, and international project partners to strengthen collaboration between universities and industry for sustainable development.

The session commenced with a welcome and introduction by Prof. (Eng.) Chaminda S. Bandara, followed by a presentation on the key achievements and outcomes of the FOUNTAIN Project delivered by Prof. Guttila Yugantha Jayasinghe, highlighting the project’s impact on capacity building, university–industry partnerships, and future collaboration opportunities. The event also marked the official launch of FOUNTAIN Newsletter Volume 3, Issue 2, showcasing recent project achievements and success stories.

One of the highlights of the session was the Country and Partner Reflections, where representatives from all FOUNTAIN consortium partners shared their experiences, achievements, and the lasting impact of the project in their respective institutions and countries. The session further featured an inspiring keynote speech by Prof. Sudesh Wijesinghe on “Driving Sustainable Development Through Innovation,” emphasizing the importance of innovation, entrepreneurship, and collaborative research in addressing global sustainability challenges.

The event concluded with the INNOJET 2025 Competition, an innovation challenge designed to encourage practical, scalable, and sustainable solutions to real-world problems. The top five finalists presented their innovative projects before an expert evaluation panel. Minera Nova was awarded First Place, Bio Tend received Second Place, and Vita Cane secured Third Place, recognizing their outstanding innovations and entrepreneurial potential. The competition reflected the FOUNTAIN project’s commitment to nurturing innovation, strengthening university–industry collaboration, and supporting the next generation of sustainable entrepreneurs.

The FOUNTAIN Special Session successfully demonstrated how collaborative partnerships between academia, industry, and society can foster innovation, knowledge exchange, and sustainable development, leaving participants with new opportunities for networking, future collaboration, and impactful research.