Overview
L&T Finance Ltd., a leading Indian non‑banking financial company, has launched the second edition of its Pitch Point competition, a platform designed to connect early‑stage and growth‑stage AI startups with venture capitalists, senior L&T Finance management, and global industry experts at the upcoming RAISE’26 AI‑themed event.
Programme Details
The competition invites AI solutions applicable to both BFSI and non‑BFSI domains. Eligible startups must align their product offerings with one of L&T Group’s strategic areas, including Cyber Security & Fraud Prevention, Rural & Agri Fintech, Generative AI applications, Embedded Finance Solutions, Alternate Data‑Based Lending, AI‑Driven Credit Scoring & Risk Assessment, RegTech & Compliance Tools, AI‑Powered Collections & Recovery, Enterprise Agentic AI, Image Processing, AI Geospatial & Remote Sensing, Portfolio Optimisation, and Quantum Computing for BFSI.
Applications are accepted online until 31 October 2026. Shortlisted candidates will undergo a virtual interaction round, after which five finalists will be selected to present live at RAISE’26. The final shortlist is scheduled for 1 December 2026, and the competition will culminate with a live event on 16 December 2026 at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai.
Past Winners’ Experiences
The inaugural cohort saw Arrowhead AI and SpoofSense emerge as winners. Ms. Devyani Gupta, CEO of Arrowhead AI, said the program gave her team direct access to senior decision‑makers, shortening the path to enterprise deployment. Mr. Kartikeya Bhardwaj, Founder of SpoofSense, highlighted the value of enterprise validation and feedback on scalability, security, and operational readiness, which he is now leveraging to expand discussions across the financial services sector.
Both founders advise future applicants to treat Pitch Point as a partnership opportunity rather than a mere contest, emphasizing the need for a working product and a clearly defined problem statement.
Leadership Commentary
Dr. Debarag Banerjee, Chief Data & AI Officer at L&T Finance, described Pitch Point 2026 as a “strategic launchpad for high‑potential early‑stage AI startups” that bridges startup innovation with enterprise scale, supporting L&T Finance’s vision to become a risk‑first, technology‑first, AI‑native retail financial services institution.
Ms. Sushma Kaushik, Head of Innovation Fund at Larsen & Toubro, noted that AI is reshaping financial services from reactive decision‑making to predictive intelligence, positioning L&T Finance as a leader in fostering responsible, scalable AI adoption.
RAISE’26 Context
RAISE’26, launched in 2024, is the premier AI‑focused event for the BFSI sector, attracting over 4,500 participants including regulators, unicorn founders, deep‑tech innovators, and media representatives. The event’s theme is “Transforming Financial Services with AI,” and it provides a showcase for enterprise‑grade AI solutions.
About L&T Finance Ltd.
L&T Finance Ltd. (LTF) is headquartered in Mumbai and is rated AAA by four domestic rating agencies. Internationally, S&P Global Ratings affirms a long‑term issuer rating of BBB/Stable and a short‑term rating of A‑2, while Fitch Ratings assigns a long‑term rating of BBB‑ with a stable outlook. The company has received ESG leadership scores from global and national providers, is certified as a Great Place To Work®, and has won awards for its CSR initiative “Digital Sakhi,” which focuses on women’s empowerment and digital‑financial inclusion. LTF serves a customer base of over 3 crore individuals, leveraging this data for cross‑selling, up‑selling, and new customer acquisition as part of its Lakshya 2031 plan.