The Polar Bear Pitching event in Oulu (Finland) is by far the most original startup & investor meetup. Entrepreneurs can pitch as long as they can stand the cold water — honestly, that is much more efficient than the best clock. Next year Oulu will be European Capital of Culture, and will host its 10the edition of the Polar Bear Pitching. Definitely worth a visit.
“When I saw the first entrepreneur stepping in the ice water, I started to feel cold myself,” says ImpactBuilders founder Jan Lagast. “It’s amazing to witness ten entrepreneurs daring to face the near zero temperature of the water in the ice hole. Several of them lasted 5 minutes in there.”
Two batches of five entrepreneurs took the challenge. A professional jury selected the three best and gave a 10.000 euro prize to the winning pitch. The two hour pitching event was the pinnacle of a boutique startup conference in Oulu city. “I prefer these small events to the mega-events, because you have the time to meet with people, and you don’t drown in the crowd. Networking is still one of the most important business mechanisms, and Oulu definitely stimulated it.
The first edition of this original event was initially created by a group of students from the Ouly university. The last years the city development agency Business Oulo has taken over, and is organising this event annually. Satellite events are being held in Japan, Switzerland, and India. Next year will be the tenth edition, which will collide with Oulu being the 2026 European Capital of Culture.
Some links to know more