Mumbai, India | January 7, 2026: Entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and D2C ecosystem builder Arjun Vaidya has launched Season 2 of Pickle & Pitch, India’s first sports‑led pitching IP that reimagines how founders and investors connect. By replacing boardrooms and virtual calls with pickleball courts, the format creates a high‑energy, relaxed environment where startup conversations flow more freely and authentically.
Conceptualised and created by Arjun, Pickle & Pitch blends the fast‑growing sport of pickleball with startup pitching, offering founders a unique opportunity to showcase their ideas while building genuine connections. Each participating founder plays one set of pickleball (11 points) with Arjun before pitching their startup, breaking down traditional power dynamics and encouraging authentic dialogue.
Season 2 Highlights
- Episode 1 in Mumbai: 17 founders pitched their businesses on court, followed by a mixer attended by 100+ founders.
- Strong Demand: Over 1,000 applications received, underscoring the appetite for more human, community‑driven founder‑investor engagement.
- Nationwide Expansion: Season 2 will span six cities across India, strengthening Pickle & Pitch’s position as a first‑mover platform at the intersection of sport, startups, and storytelling.
- Powered By: GoKwik and Red Bull.
Arjun Vaidya, Creator of Pickle & Pitch, said: “Having been on both sides of the table, as a founder and now as a VC, I’ve seen how traditional pitches often come with an inherent power dynamic. I wanted to remove that completely. Pickleball is accessible, fun, and lets founders relax. On the court, you learn so much about them; their sportsmanship, mindset, and demeanour. That leads to far more meaningful conversations than a purely transactional pitch. Pickle & Pitch started out of passion, and it’s incredible to see how founders have embraced it.”
About Pickle & Pitch
Pickle & Pitch is India’s first sports‑led pitching IP created by Arjun Vaidya. By blending pickleball with startup pitching, it offers founders a unique opportunity to connect, gain visibility, and engage in meaningful conversations within a relaxed, community‑driven environment.
About Arjun Vaidya
Arjun Vaidya is a D2C founder turned early‑stage consumer investor. He built and exited Dr. Vaidya’s, India’s largest online Ayurveda brand, to the RP Sanjiv Goenka Group. He now runs V3 Ventures, an early‑stage consumer VC fund investing in brands like Kuku FM, Go Zero, Super You, and Deconstruct. He is also a Titan investor on Zee TV’s Ideabaaz, a passionate sports enthusiast, and the creator of Pickle & Pitch.
