Participating in the main tournament in Oulu, Finland, to be held for the first time in five years – Who will get the spot?
The STARTUP HOKKAIDO Executive Committee, which aims to build a startup ecosystem in Hokkaido, is an all-Hokkaido organization of industry, academia, and government, including the three governments of Hokkaido, the Hokkaido Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry, and the City of Sapporo. It will be held for the first time from January 29, 2024 to February 2, 2024.
On Wednesday, January 31st, from 17:00, under the Sapporo TV Tower, “Polar Bear Pitching HOKKAIDO'' (cooperation: BusinessOulu), the Japanese qualifying round for the startup pitch competition originating from Oulu, Finland, will be held for the first time in Hokkaido.
▼ “Polar Bear Pitching” pitch contest from Oulu, Finland
Polar Bear Pitching is a startup pitch unique to the snowy country that started in Oulu, Finland, in 2014, where people step into ice water in the freezing cold and pitch until they can't stand it anymore. This is the third time the qualifying round has been held in Japan, following the qualifiers held in Sendai in 2019 and 2020. The main tournament held in Oulu in the same year was moved online due to the novel coronavirus and was also canceled from 2021 to 2023, so this will be the first time in five years that the main tournament will be held in Oulu.
▼ “Polar Bear Pitching HOKKAIDO” held for the first time
In 2022, Sapporo City and Finland will sign a "Memorandum of Understanding on Startup Community Collaboration and Cooperation" in order to deepen the "northern ecosystem collaboration." In order to accelerate this collaboration, further deepen the relationship, and connect both ecosystems, we will hold "Polar Bear Pitching HOKKAIDO" during Hokkaido Innovation Week, which is held in Hokkaido in winter, when it is covered with the most beautiful powder snow. Masu.
"Polar Bear Pitching Hokkaido" is a satellite event held for startups in Hokkaido, and the winner will receive the right to participate in the main competition held in Oulu, Finland, and a plane ticket to Oulu. We will take on the final battle on Thursday, February 29, 2024.
[Polar Bear Pitching Hokkaido website] https://hiw.cool/pbp/
▼ A freezing body, a burning heart.
Immerse yourself in ice water on a midwinter night in Sapporo. You can only present your business pitch for as long as you can absorb it (3 minutes as a guide). We are looking for courageous startup companies to take on such challenges.
▼ Participation conditions for Polar Bear Pitching HOKKAIDO
・Ability to pitch in English
・Seed-to-early stage startup companies residing in Japan with two or more company members (Pitch presentations can be made by one or two people)
・Complete the development of a service prototype (demo or MVP)
・Be able to participate in the Oulu finals to be held on February 29, 2024 and the pre-event the day before (the winning prize is the right to attend the finals in Oulu, as well as travel and accommodation expenses)
・No health problems
When you finish your pitch in the ice water, you will be greeted with applause and cheers from those around you, and a passionate feeling will rise from within your body. A freezing body, a burning heart. Accelerate your passion for business with Polar Bear Pitching HOKKAIDO.
[For startups] Apply for pitch: https://forms.fillout.com/t/cTefWocbp9us
▼Hokkaido Innovation Week
At Hokkaido Innovation Week, we invite startups, investors, and startup support organizations from all over the world to help entrepreneurs develop a "global mindset" that will enable them to focus on the global market from the first day of their founding. We aim to create connections and develop startup businesses.
Taking advantage of Hokkaido's geographical advantages and industrial strengths, we will develop programs specialized in the three industrial fields of "Primary Industry/Food", "Space", and "Environment/Energy", making Hokkaido a "Startup Island in Asia". We will contribute to economic revitalization and the realization of a sustainable society in Hokkaido and Japan.
The theme for this first-ever event is "Regenerative." In addition to scaling, we will focus on collaborating with Hokkaido companies, nurturing Hokkaido startups, and inviting overseas startups with an eye toward the future of local communities and solving social issues.
▼ Hokkaido Innovation Week Overview
Period: January 29, 2024 to February 2, 2024 (5 days)
Location: Sapporo City (Sapporo TV Tower, etc.), Kitahiroshima City (Escon Field, etc.)
Target: Domestic and international startups, investors, supporters, etc.
Sponsored by: STARTUP HOKKAIDO Executive Committee
URL: https://hiw.cool/
Participation fee: Investor pass (50,000 yen), general pass (30,000 yen), startup pass (10,000 yen), student pass (free)
*Includes startup pitch event at “Esconfield HOKKAIDO”
VIP pass with meetup participation rights (limited to 250 tickets) is above price + 10,000 yen
How to apply for tickets: https://hiw.cool/tickets/
▼STARTUP HOKKAIDO Executive Committee
An organization that promotes an all-Hokkaido system in which industry, academia, and government work together to create an ecosystem that creates and nurtures startups from Hokkaido that aim to go global. Taking advantage of Hokkaido's geographical advantage and industrial strengths, we will focus on supporting the three industrial fields of "primary industry/food," "space," and "environment/energy" as priority areas for startups unique to Hokkaido. We aim to develop into a “Startup Island'' and contribute to economic revitalization and the realization of a sustainable society in Hokkaido and Japan.
Name: STARTUP HOKKAIDO Executive Committee
Address: 2F, Hokkaido Shimbun Head Office Building, 3-6 Odori Nishi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido
(Inside SAPPORO INCUBATION HUB DRIVE)
Executive Committee Chairperson: Mina Tsuchida (Chief Human Resources Officer, AWL Co., Ltd.)
Secretary General: Kyohei Fujima (DRIVE Incubation Co., Ltd. / Representative Director)
Launch: September 2023
URL: https://startup-city-sapporo.com/
[Inquiries regarding this matter]
STARTUP HOKKAIDO Executive Committee Secretariat Person in charge: Nakamoto/Tanaka
info@startuphokkaido.com