Marking the commencement of the World CIO 200 Grand Finale 2026 being hosted by Sri Lanka for the first time, the inaugural feature event, the "CIO Tech Marathon 2026," was launched September 22, 2026 afternoon near the Independence Square premises in Colombo, under the patronage of the Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Chrishantha Abeysena.

A large number of competitors representing 50 countries around the world participated in this event. Distinguished guests attending the inauguration included Dr. Arusha Cooray, the Sri Lankan Ambassador to the UAE, Dr. Roshanie Dissanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Science and Technology, Alexi Gunasekera, Sri Lankan Consul General in Dubai, and Ronak Samantaray, CEO and Co-Founder of Global Enterprise Connect.