New Delhi, India, Jan 21: The Polar Bear Pitching India Chapter returned to the Embassy of Finland in New Delhi on 20 January 2026. This thrilling Finnish-born event challenged 7 shortlisted Indian startups to pitch their groundbreaking ideas to a panel of Indian and Finnish investors, while standing in a chilling ice-cold pool simulating Finland’s “avanto” ice hole. No time limit: pitches endure as long as the founders do, followed by a warm wooden Finnish sauna recovery.
Organized by Business Finland in collaboration with T-Hub and Business Oulu, the event brought together Nordic resilience and Indian entrepreneurial ambition. As the largest home for startups, T-Hub supports over 2,000 startups through curated programs, market access, funding opportunities, and world-class infrastructure, playing a central role in enabling global startup collaboration.
The three-hour event featured opening remarks by Ambassador H.E. Kimmo Lähdevirta on Finland-India collaboration, a special address by Ms. Gitta Perez on innovation, a key address by Ms. Priyanka Ravala (T-Hub) on cross-border opportunities, and a Business Oulu introduction to Polar Bear Pitching. It culminated in a riveting pitching competition with 7 startups judged live by investors followed by the announcement of winners by the Ambassador granting an Oulu invitation (26 February 2026).
H.E. Kimmo Lähdevirta, Ambassador of Finland to India, opened with remarks on Finland-India ties:
“Finland and India are natural partners in innovation, united by a shared commitment to shaping the future of clean tech, digitalisation and sustainable growth. Polar Bear Pitching goes beyond competition. It sparks creativity under pressure, bringing together Finnish ingenuity and India’s scale, ambition, and entrepreneurial drive. By bringing this unique concept to India, we aim to deepen cross-border collaboration, spark co-innovation between our startups, and build long-term bridges that deliver meaningful global impact.”
Ms. Gitta Perez, Commercial Counsellor, Embassy of Finland added,
“Team Finland is deeply committed to connecting Finnish innovation with India’s rapidly advancing economy at a time when the world needs bold, resilient solutions. Polar Bear Pitching creates a pipeline for collaboration across digital transformation, sustainability, mobility, healthtech and more where Nordic technologies and Indian entrepreneurship can jointly lead. It is both a symbolic and practical invitation to dive into new thinking, build enduring partnerships and unlock transformational ideas that shape the future.”
Ms. Shreshta Sharma, Talent Manager at Business Finland, added,
“What stood out at Polar Bear Pitching India was not just the courage to stand in icy waters, but the mindset behind it. This is exactly the kind of resilience, curiosity, and global ambition Finland looks for in founders and talent. Platforms like this open real pathways for Indian startups and professionals to connect with Finland’s innovation ecosystem, explore cross-border opportunities, and build careers and companies that can scale globally.”
Seven innovative Indian startups, shortlisted by T-Hub from nationwide applications, participated in the Polar Bear Pitching India Chapter, presenting groundbreaking ideas across diverse sectors such as healthcare, space technology, artificial intelligence, and IoT.Each founder pitched for an average of five minutes while standing in the ice-cold pool, with ideas judged live on innovation, scalability, and market potential by a panel of Indian and Finnish investors and experts. From this intense test of endurance and clarity under pressure, Anshul Patyal, representing Vicharak, an AI startup, emerged as the winner.
The winner earned an invitation to the main Polar Bear Pitching event in Oulu, Finland, on 26 February 2026, with travel support from T-Hub (terms apply). The Oulu champion receives a €10,000 cash prize.
The event’s success underlines the importance of fostering global collaboration and showcases the entrepreneurial spirit of Indian startups on an international stage.
