Asia’s Brightest.

Unveiling the 2025 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Trailblazers from Sri Lanka & Beyond

Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia isn’t just a list—it’s a spotlight on the region’s most dynamic young change-makers shaping industries and redefining innovation. For Sri Lanka, this year’s list is a testament to our growing entrepreneurial ecosystem: three homegrown talents have earned a coveted spot, including our very own Founder & CEO, Nikin Matharaarachchi.

In this edition of the Kommon Poll Newsletter, we’ll dive into:

Why Forbes 30 Under 30 matters—and what it says about Asia’s next wave
A closer look at Sri Lanka’s 2025 honorees and their breakthroughs
How public sentiment around this announcement reflects national pride (powered by real Kommon Poll data)
Sri Lanka’s evolving legacy on past Forbes lists—and what comes next
A personal note: celebrating Nikin and the entire Synapse AI Labs team

Why Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Counts

Each year, Forbes curates 300 innovators under 30 across ten categories—from Finance to Social Impact—spotlighting early-stage disruptors who are already moving the needle in their fields. Inclusion signals not only individual achievement but also the maturity of a country’s ecosystem. Sri Lanka’s growing presence—from Nushelle de Silva in 2016 to our trio in 2025—flags our tech, creative, and social sectors as vibrant and globally competitive.

🚀 Meet Sri Lanka’s 2025 Trailblazers

1. Nikin Matharaarachchi

Category: Social Media, Marketing & Advertising Why Nikin Stands Out:

Synapse AI Labs Founder: Orchestrating tools like Kommon Poll and MentionedBy.ai that decode billions of social media signals into real-time brand intelligence.
Industry Impact: Helping leading brands and fast-growth startups alike to track sentiment, uncover intent, and drive data-backed decisions.
Innovation Edge: Early adopter of AI-driven intent analysis, empowering marketers to move beyond “what” people say to “why” they say it.

Nikin: “This recognition is a tribute to our entire team’s passion for transforming social noise into actionable insights.”

2. Charith N. Silva

Category: The Arts (Art & Style, Food & Drink) Why Charith Shines:

WildCookbook Creator: His YouTube channel boasts over 10 million subscribers, blending Sri Lankan culinary traditions with storytelling.
Restaurateur: Founder of Wildish, a modern eatery chain that brings fusion flavors to Colombo’s food scene.

3. Yanika Amarasekera-Siyaguna

Category: Retail & E-Commerce Why Yanika Inspires:

Silver Aisle Founder: Launched Sri Lanka’s first online wedding registry, now a one-stop lifestyle gifting platform serving thousands of couples.
E-Commerce Pioneer: Expanded into corporate and baby registry verticals—proof that thoughtful UX and social listening can unlock new market segments.

Honoring All Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2025 Honorees

While Sri Lanka’s trio gives us special pride, Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2025 celebrates 300 outstanding young innovators across the region. Here are just a few standout names lighting up their categories:

Aditya Rao (India) – Finance & Venture Capital Co-founder of FinSight, democratizing startup investment with AI-driven deal matching.
Michelle Yap (Singapore) – Healthcare & Science CEO of NanoHeal BioTech, pioneering nano-enabled drug delivery for chronic conditions.
Hana Sato (Japan) – Robotics & AI Lead engineer at RoboWave, whose social-assistance robots are transforming elder care.
Juan Dela Cruz (Philippines) – Education & E-Learning Founder of LearnLift, delivering personalized STEM curricula to rural schools.
Siti Nurhaliza (Indonesia) – Retail & Sustainable Fashion Creative director at EcoThread, a zero-waste label championing upcycled textiles.
Park Min-ji (South Korea) – Media, Marketing & Advertising Co-founder of ViralView, an AI-powered influencer-marketing platform optimizing ROI in real time.
Ahmed Al-Hassan (UAE) – Social Impact Leader of SolarNext, installing community solar grids in under-electrified regions.

This Pan-Asian roster underscores the breadth of creativity and impact being driven by young leaders—spanning fintech, healthtech, edtech, robotics, sustainable design, and beyond.

📊 Real-Time Buzz: Kommon Poll Sentiment Snapshot

This live data underscores how a platform like Kommon Poll can quantify—and amplify—the collective excitement around national milestones.

📜 Sri Lanka’s Growing Forbes Recognition Legacy

Our island’s representation has steadily expanded:

Nushelle de Silva – Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2016, Social Entrepreneurs
Rakitha Dilshan Malewana – Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2017, Healthcare & Science
Anoka Primrose Abeyrathne – Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2017, Social Entrepreneurs
Mevan Peiris – Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2020, Consumer Technology
Jayathma Wickramanayake – Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2020, Social Entrepreneurs
Yudhanjaya Wijeratne – Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2021, Media, Marketing & Advertising
Bhanuka Harischandra – Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2021, Media, Marketing & Advertising
Poornima Meegammana – Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2022, Social Impact
Dushyantha De Silva – Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2022, The Arts
Dinara Punchihewa – Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2024, Entertainment & Arts
Lilan Dayananda – Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2024, Social Impact
Iranthi Gomez – Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe 2022, Technology
Sandra Wanduragala – Forbes Asia 50 Over 50 2023

Forbes Billionaires (Global)

Chamath Palihapitiya (Sri Lankan–born) – Featured on Forbes Billionaires list (2025)

🌟 What This Means for Kommon Poll

Validation of AI for Good: Nikin’s award demonstrates the real-world impact of social listening powered by AI—transforming unstructured chatter into strategic action.
Catalyst for Talent: As Sri Lanka’s tech sector gains global recognition, more young founders will emerge—fueling local innovation.
Amplified Credibility: Our platform’s ability to track sentiment around this announcement shows Kommon Poll isn’t just a tool—it’s a pulse-reader for brands and nations alike.

🎉 Congratulations to Nikin—and to Sri Lanka

To Nikin, Charith, Yanika, and the entire Synapse AI Labs family: your dedication, vision, and technical prowess have put Sri Lanka firmly on the Asian innovation map. Here’s to leveraging social intelligence—not only to celebrate today’s achievements but to chart tomorrow’s breakthroughs.

“From real-time monitoring of buzz to guiding strategic pivots, Kommon Poll is proud to stand behind the insights that drive impact.”

What’s Next?

Follow our LinkedIn for in-depth interviews with each honoree
Try Kommon Poll’s Intent Analysis free for 14 days to uncover the “why” behind any conversation
Stay tuned: We’ll continue to track Sri Lanka’s rising stars—and share the insights you need to lead the discussion.

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