A snowy Thursday morning in Oulu set the scene for this year’s Polar Bear Pitching at the waterfront hotel. The day offered keynotes, panels, workshops and lively encounters focused on startup culture, creativity, investment and leadership. The event opened with morning coffee and welcoming words from host Nea Höynälä.
The first keynote speaker of the day was Sarita Runeberg, whose theme Culture powering startup growth highlighted how culture forms the foundation of startup success. Drawing from her own story, she underlined values like ownership, ambition and contribution. Startups thrive when people aim high together and support one another — those who succeed give back. Friction can kill early startups, but a global mindset pushes teams forward. Ultimately, the culture we create defines how far we go.
Next, Maria Pennanen spoke on The Power of Courage and Presence. She discussed confidence and the dangers of overconfidence, especially when leaders ignore customer feedback. A quick self‑audit pushed the audience to reflect on how much they let others’ opinions hold them back. She emphasized dreaming big and communicating boldly — guided by the question What would you do if you could not fail? She shared practical tools, such as setting the agenda, using clear language, making decisions efficiently, and regulating presence through breathing and pauses.
Small actions can calm down your nervous system, and you can always control your breath. Even a five‑second pause between words can help you sound less nervous. You can control your feelings by action.
What would you do if you could not fail?
Maria Pennanen
After two strong keynotes and several cups of coffee later, the first panel took the stage: Hidekuni Takagi, Ville Heikkinen and Maximillian LeRoux with moderator Sami Lampinen.
The discussion on investment culture encouraged entrepreneurs to start early and noted how entrepreneurship has become a respected path. They praised Slush as a meaningful force in the ecosystem. Their advice focused on taking risks, building culture from day one. They emphasized that the advantage of startups lies in speed. Startups are fast and dynamic. Founders should choose sparring partners rather than friends and this will speed up your success story. Diversity, good behavior and inclusive meetups were recommended as ways to broaden perspectives.
They closed with a reminder: “The world is not coming to Finland; Finland is going to the world.”
After the panel Ronny Eriksson electrified the room with his talk on creativity and cultural capital through the story of ODDfest. The space was full of polar bears, ice peaks and ice cubes, but I don’t think anyone felt cold when Eriksson started speaking. He defined creativity as combining things to make something new and stressed that strong brands sell meaning, trust and solutions — the intangible value. Apple, Coca-Cola and Uber served as examples of brands that have become cultural symbols. Call us an Uber. He encouraged founders to collaborate with artists and view branding as a feeling shaped through storytelling. His own talk demonstrated this with ODDfest.
Iconic Polar Bear PItching beanie and an important slide from Eriksson’s keynote.
Before lunch, Rasmus Wiinstedt Tscherning continued the theme of cultural value. He explained how stories add meaning to products and how industries like automotive now sell identity rather than engineering alone. You tell a story about yourself through your Ferrari, not just drive fast. A brand communicates who you are. He encouraged supporting craftsmanship over mass production and highlighted that value often lies beyond the physical product.
You tell a story about yourself through your Ferrari.
A takeaway from Rasmus Wiinstedt Tscherning
We enjoyed lunch, had some rewarding conversations and made some new connections. That is indeed one of the perks of events like this – where like-minded people meet each other. Everyone is there to support and learn more.
After lunch we headed downstairs to the Startup Studio where Aleksi Kallio introduced LUMI AI Factory and explained how it supports startups. LUMI is one of Europe’s leading AI factories, serving ten countries and operating in Finland. Kallio explained that startups and SMEs can use many of their resources for free. Their services range from leadership computing to secure data labs and AI expertise. They are not forgetting what people are concerned about today – sustainability is a major priority. LUMI uses carbon‑neutral electricity, reuses heat and uses water-conserving cooling. Kallio encouraged companies to share their needs while the ecosystem is still being shaped.
Snapshot from Kallio’s slideshow of reaching LUMI AI Factory.
Back upstairs, a packed hall awaited Daniel Fischer from Fingersoft, speaking about building work culture in a passion industry. Would you do this work if you did not get paid? Working in a passion industry requires flexibility, trust and clear expectations. He highlighted the importance of giving freedom while expecting responsibility and keeping communication open, even when conversations are difficult. He warned against passion turning into obsession and reminded the audience to keep personal hobbies alive even when working with your hobby. His own leadership style is grounded in humanity, lightness and genuine interest in people. He closed with two book recommendations: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team (Patrick Lencioni) and Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0 (James Collins).
The day moved on to the second panel, “Investing in Creativity”, moderated by Victoria Fäh with panelists Milja Mäkelä, Kati Uusi‑Rauva and Jukka Vidgren. Their message was straightforward: explore the unknown, look between fields, take risks and be bold.
I was already leaving home, but when Fanhaven entered the room, I couldn’t leave yet. These two American founders brought extremely powerful energy to the house. Cole Marston and Kaden Bishop talked about their career path. Their talk, “From Fandom to Funded,” shared their unconventional path, including a major pivot that felt risky but necessary. They emphasized that you don’t need a tech background to build a tech startup — though imposter syndrome may follow. Their story highlighted persistence: pitching everywhere, sneaking into events and refusing to give up. They stressed believing in yourself, building credibility early and listening closely to customers. Their strong co‑founder relationship provided balance and support. At the end they encouraged founders to experience bigger cities — a fitting close to the day’s theme of boldness and global mindset.
You don’t need a tech background to build a tech startup.
A takeaway from Cole Marston and Kaden Bishop
Although one final speech remained, the day was already packed with insights. Avanto pitching competition crowned Ionic Wind as the winner, followed by an afterparty. It was a day full of energy, culture, creativity and international ambition — and a strong statement from Oulu on the global startup map.
Polar Bear Pitching cardboard stands elevating the hype at event venue.
photos & text: Suvi Sipola