In the dynamic landscape of South Asian innovation, the 2023 South Asia Startup ICT Award spotlights trailblazing ventures like Boltay Huroof, pioneering inclusive Braille documents in Pakistan. Cross Border Payments Pvt. Ltd (Marx) from Sri Lanka redefines personal finance with its comprehensive payment and loyalty platform, aligning with the Central Bank's cashless society vision. Bhutan's Samuh Mediatech Pvt. Ltd introduces the country's first OTT platform, poised for expansion into the Pan-Himalayan market. Meanwhile, Hyphen SCS Private Limited emerges as India's fastest-growing warehousing platform, bringing efficiency and transparency to logistics. FONIX Software Solutions' ExamHUB Sri Lanka gamifies the exam experience, engaging students and amassing widespread popularity. These startups exemplify the cutting-edge solutions shaping the future of technology and entrepreneurship in South Asia. Let's take alook at the top five  South Asia Startup ICT Award 2023 finalists: 

Boltay Huroof

Boltay Huroof is blurring the boundaries between sighted and blind by introducing Pakistan’s first inclusive Braille documents. It is a software that converts regional and international text into Braille. It's output is readable by both sighted and Visually Impaired. The company's goal is to solve educational & social exclusion challenges of blind communities around the globe & to open doors of opportunities for them in the educational & financial sector. The company is empowering the blind community by creating an environment full of opportunities where the visually impaired will not have to be dependent on others for reading their documents. The company aims to fight the social exclusion of blind community through the printing and accessibility of more than 200k inclusive Braille papers by collaboarting with partners. Through Boltay Huroof's books, the readers can experience the magic of literature through touch and text. The company's mission is to bridge the gap between sighted and blind and share the delight of inclusivity, diversity, and accessibility.

Cross Border Payments Pvt.Ltd (Marx)

Cross Border Payments Pvt.Ltd (Marx) from Srilanka offers a comprehensive payment and loyalty platform that simplifies transactions, marketing, and customer insights. Marx's digital wallet comprehends personal finance, offering total control and rewards for payments. It acts as a one-stop portal for managing transactions, loyalty programs, and marketing campaigns. In alignment with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka's cashless society vision, the company utilizes LankaQR to save foreign exchange on card payments. For consumers, Marx's digital wallet simplifies personal finance, offering total control and rewards for payments. Points earned can be redeemed at their partner merchants, giving customers a seamless and rewarding financial experience.

Samuh Mediatech Pvt. Ltd

Bhutan’s First OTT Platform; Samuh Mediatech Pvt. Ltd offers a wide range of Bhutanese films & creative digital content. In less than two years of operation they have produced 200 original content. It is the number 1 entertainment app in Bhutan with 120K Registered users across 184 Countries. Samuh is all set to launch the first Music & Entertainment Channel in 2024. With the expansion into TV and Pan Himalayan Market, Samuh has the potential to create 1500 Jobs in Bhutan and around 5000 Jobs in the Pan-Himalayas in the Creative Industry.

Hyphen SCS Private Limited

Hyphen SCS Private Limited is the India's fastest growing warehousing and fulfilment platform. It is a technology centric one-stop shop that shortens lead times, brings down costs and increases transparency. It has no brokerage for clients & success fees model for warehouse owners. To find warehouse from Hyphen SCS Private Limited ; one must share their requirements, and the companywill pick and choose warehouses that fit the requirements before shortlisting them for the user.

The company itself helps in the agreement, post-selection, and confirmation processes on users' end. Additionally, Hyphen SCS Private Limited is capable of handling the logistics as well as the full range of warehouse operations.They offer last-mile logistics, PTL logistics, and FTL logistics that can be deployed with a sizable fleet of vehicles.

FONIX Software Solutions Pvt. Ltd

ExamHUB Sri Lanka, developed by FONIX Software Solutions, is a unique mobile app that transforms the exam experience into an engaging game.. Launched in 2018 and stabilized in 2020, ExamHUB has become a go-to platform for Srilankan students.Targeting students from Grade 6 to 13, ExamHUB offers a vast question bank with 10,000+ questions for Grades 6-9 and 5 years of past papers for Advanced Level students. The app features Play Quiz, Battle Quiz, Self-Challenge, and Contest categories, catering to different study preferences. Students can compete with friends, track their performance on the leaderboard, and win monthly prizes.

With over 500,000+ downloads and 25,000-30,000 daily usage, ExamHUB has gained significant popularity. It utilizes mobile VAS payment systems, offering affordable access at 3.00 LKR per day. Social media campaigns and Google ads are employed to acquire users, optimizing user acquisition costs. Developed using Flutter technology, ExamHUB is available on Google Play Store, Apple App Store, and Huawei AppGallery. With its comprehensive question bank, competitive features, and monthly prizes, ExamHUB motivates Sri Lankan students to practice question papers and enhances their educational knowledge.