Karunarathnalage Lilan Udayanga Dayananda

Lilan Dayananda is an internationally recognized social-tech entrepreneur, celebrated for his innovative contributions to social impact. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of Elzian Agro and has been named one of the top ten Social Entrepreneurs of the Global-South by the United Nations Youth Envoy’s Office, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and UNDP Youth Co: Lab. His achievements have earned him a place on Forbes Magazine’s "30 Under 30 Asia" list in the social impact category.

In 2022, Lilan became the only Sri Lankan to receive the Commonwealth Youth Award for Excellence in Development Work. He was also nominated for the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust Youth Award. In 2023, he was recognized among the top 100 meaningful business founders by Ernst & Young (EY), Hogan Lovells Global Law Firms, and Babson College, in collaboration with the Meaningful Business Community. Most recently, in 2024, Lilan was named Social Entrepreneur of the Year at the New Generation Awards. He also won the Climate Action Leadership Award 2024 from the Global Climate Action Partnership and led his enterprise to win two prestigious awards: the Best Brand Leadership Award 2024 from The World Marketing Congress, CMO Global, and the World Federation of Marketing Professionals, and the Best Employer Brand Award 2024 from CHRO Asia and the World Federation of HR Professionals.

Academically, Lilan holds a Business Management (Special) Degree from the University of Kelaniya and is currently pursuing two master’s degrees: an MBA from Wayamba University and a Master’s in Climate Change and Environmental Management from the University of Colombo. He is a graduate of the Silicon Valley-based Founder Institute accelerator program and has completed over 600 courses, including more than 300 certificates from Coursera. Lilan is also an ALS Public Policy Fellow at the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago and an Anubhav Fellow at the Indian School of Public Policy. Additionally, he graduated from Stanford University’s Stanford Seed Spark Program and is a Certified Climate Entrepreneur from New York University.

Lilan’s ventures have garnered numerous awards for their innovative approaches to food security, climate action, and sustainability. One of his pioneering projects developed the world’s first scientifically validated methodology to quantify human contributions to Primary Ecosystem Services. Another of his initiatives focuses on delivering sustainable solutions to end hunger globally.

As the leading technology partner for the International Analog Forestry Network, Lilan collaborates with marginalized communities in over 20 countries, impacting more than 100,000 farmers from diverse backgrounds. He also serves as an accredited member of the Technology Executive Committee for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), representing YOUNGO. Previously, he was a Global Steering Committee member of the Children and Youth Major Group for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and served as Co-Lead Facilitator for the Nature & Ecosystem Working Group at the sixth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6).

Beyond entrepreneurship, Lilan is a mentor for the Resolution Project and a facilitator for the Careers in the Common Good (CCG) Organization, where he assists beneficiaries in Central and Eastern Europe with project and career development. He is also an Ambassador for the World Business Dialogue and an influencer for the International Council for Circular Economy (ICCE). In addition, he plays a critical role in World Youth for Climate Justice (WYCJ) and serves as a Climate Ambassador for both the Global Youth Climate Network (GYCN) and Connect4Climate, a program of the World Bank. Lilan is also an Island Innovation Ambassador and a Blue Planet Alliance Ambassador, working to empower islands in their transition to renewable energy.

Lilan’s passion for creating meaningful, positive impact drives his continued dedication to fostering change and improving lives around the world.