Polar Bear Pitching Day Conference
Start your Polar Bear Pitching day with a deep dive into growth and sustainability at our Day Conference! We have secured local experts and speakers to bring you a program with invaluable insights. With a very special edition for Oulu2026, our Day Conference topic ”Cultural Capital in Startup Growth” will be dedicated to exploring the role of culture and creativity in startup growth. During the Day Conference you will also have the opportunity to book meetings with other participants through our matchmaking tool and have a big lunch break for additional networking.
Place: Radisson Blu, Hallituskatu 1, Oulu
Date: Thursday, 26th of February, 2026
8:30 – Registration open & Morning coffee
9:00-15:00 – Day Conference program
What to expect from the Day Conference?
Cole Marston and Kaden Bishop represent the next generation of visionaries in live entertainment. Alumni of Polar Bear Pitching, they bring experience from multiple startup exits. Through their company Fanhaven, based in Los Angeles, they are building a customer data platform designed for large-scale live entertainment, shaping the future of audience engagement at the heart of the industry.
Maria is the CEO of Mindclip Behaviour and the creator of the Authority Shift™ framework, which addresses behavioural patterns that limit founders in startups and emerging leaders. As the co-founder and CEO of Accelerator Frankfurt, she has supported 60+ startups that have raised €100M+ since 2016. With 17+ years of corporate leadership, angel investing in 15+ companies, and building a €30M fund, Maria combines deep expertise in startups, investing, and corporate leadership. She advises financial institutions on leadership transitions and executive behaviour across Europe.
Sarita Runeberg is the CEO of Maria 01, the leading startup hub in the Nordics. She has a distinguished background in international business and extensive startup experience from companies such as Smartly.io. She fosters innovation and collaboration and has been featured in BBC and Financial Times as a thought leader. Sarita drives commerce and sustainability, positioning Maria 01 at the forefront of global startup innovation. She is also dedicated to increasing the share of women in the startup ecosystem.