Mumbai, Maharashtra, India | 10th October 2025: L&T Finance Ltd. (LTF), formerly known as L&T Finance Holdings Limited and one of India’s leading Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), has announced the launch of ‘Pitch Point’, a first-of-its-kind AI startup competition designed to spotlight cutting-edge innovations in Artificial Intelligence. The initiative comes in the lead-up to RAISE 2025, India’s premier AI-themed event dedicated to advancements in the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) sector.
Through ‘Pitch Point,’ L&T Finance aims to identify and collaborate with emerging AI startups — from early to growth stages — offering transformative solutions across BFSI and non-BFSI domains. Shortlisted participants will get the chance to present their innovations before a distinguished panel of venture capitalists, LTF’s senior management, and industry leaders at RAISE 2025.
Two winners will each receive a cash prize of ₹25 lakh, along with the unique opportunity to engage in further discussions with L&T Finance or other L&T Group companies for potential Proof of Concept (PoC) collaborations. Additionally, winners may get a chance to explore equity funding opportunities with the L&T Innovation Fund, the venture capital arm of Larsen & Toubro.
Driving Innovation Through AI
Commenting on the initiative, Mr. Sudipta Roy, Managing Director & CEO of L&T Finance, said:
“Given L&T Finance’s sharp focus on leveraging next-gen AI technologies to transform our lending business, this competition marks an important step towards identifying, mentoring, and investing in game-changing startups. ‘Pitch Point’ reflects our commitment to fostering innovation and exploring the broader applications of AI — unlocking solutions that can deliver value across the BFSI landscape and beyond.”
Focus Areas for Pitch Point 2025
The competition invites AI-driven products and solutions that align with the current and future priorities of L&T Finance and L&T Group companies. Key focus domains include:
- Cybersecurity & Fraud Prevention
- Rural & Agri Fintech Solutions
- Generative AI Applications
- Embedded Finance Solutions
- Smart Contracts & Blockchain Technologies
- Alternate Data-Based Lending Solutions
- AI-Driven Credit Scoring & Risk Assessment
- RegTech & Compliance Tools
- Digital Financial & Robo-Advisory Solutions
- AI-Powered Collections & Recovery Tools
- Agentic AI for Enterprise Operations
- Image Processing & Recognition
- AI in Geospatial and Remote Sensing
How to Apply for L&T Finance Pitch Point 2025
Eligible startups can apply online by submitting their registration form, pitch deck, and product demo link. After an initial evaluation, shortlisted applicants will participate in a virtual interaction round, and the top five finalists will be invited to pitch live at RAISE 2025.
The jury panel for Pitch Point features some of the most respected names in the technology and venture capital ecosystem, including:
- Mr. Rajan Anandan, Managing Director, Peak XV Partners & Surge
- Ms. Tanusree Deb Barma, IAS, Deputy Director General, UIDAI Technology Centre, Bengaluru
- Mr. Piyush Shah, Co-founder, InMobi and President, Glance
- Ms. Sushma Kaushik, Head, L&T Innovation Fund
- Mr. Arpit Agarwal, Investment Partner, Blume Ventures
- Dr. Debarag Banerjee, Chief AI & Data Officer, L&T Finance
Key Dates for Pitch Point 2025
- Application Deadline: October 20, 2025
- Final Shortlist Announcement: November 1, 2025
- Grand Finale at RAISE 2025: November 7, 2025
- Venue: Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai
About RAISE 2025
RAISE (Responsible AI for Social Empowerment) is India’s leading platform for dialogue and innovation in the Artificial Intelligence domain. The 2025 edition will focus on AI-led transformation in the BFSI sector, fostering collaboration between startups, corporates, investors, and policymakers to drive scalable innovation and impact.
