The best 60 case competitions + pitch contests to apply for in 2020
Editor’s note: Some of the featured case competitions have not announced their dates and deadlines yet. Make sure to bookmark this page as I continue updating the info and adding new case competitions. Want to suggest a case competition? Tweet at me @Momentswithbren on Twitter with #Learnwithbren
1.GLOBAL 2020 is open to undergraduate and graduate students from across the globe.
Sign up opens on January 5th, 2020. Stay up to date with future news by checking our webpage and submitting your email address below.
There is no sign up fee for participating. As a finalist, all expenses, including flight tickets, accommodation, and food, are covered by CBS Case Competition.
https://www.casecompetition.com
2. 2020 will mark the 31st year of the International Case Competition at Ivey Business School and the 20th year of sponsorship by Scotiabank.
This case competition is organized and managed entirely by Ivey students and the competition consistently attracts teams from all over the world.
The 2020 competition will take place over four days, from March 18-21, 2020.
Ivey Business School at Western University
1255 Western Rd., London, ON, Canada N6G 0N1
https://www.ivey-sicc.com
3. Harvard global finance case competition
Showcase your financial skill, network with industry professionals, and win a $10,000 cash prize!
All participants are sent a case and have three weeks to solve it. Then, the top 10 teams are invited to share their solution on Harvard Campus in April 2020 in front of a panel of judges.
http://harvardcasecompetition.com
4. IFAMA 2020 Student Case Competition
Help tackle the toughest agrifood challenges and play your part in producing Food for the Future! With Rotterdam as your stage, the case competition gives you a great opportunity to:
learn by solving a real-life business case;
network with professionals, industry leaders, academics and other students in the agrifood industry community
get inspired by attending the 30th IFAMA conference at the most innovative food hub in the Netherlands and home of the biggest port in Europe.
Team registration opens in the beginning of December 2019 and closes 16 March 2020.
https://ifama2020.org/student-case-competition/
5. CFO Case Study Competition
The CFO (Chief Financial Officer) is an annual, open-entry, and global multi-stage business strategy and leadership-focused case study competition, organised by The CharterQuest Institute South Africa. It challenges university students around the world to prove they can compete at the highest level: by solving a set of complex and integrated finance, operational, strategic and ethical problems that beset a real-world global business in the emerging markets.
Entry deadline: 31 March 2020
Further information
https://www.charterquest.co.za/the-cfo
6. Hult Prize
Compete in the planet’s largest student competition to solve the world’s toughest challenges. The Hult Prize Foundation is a start-up accelerator for budding young social entrepreneurs emerging from the world’s universities. Hult Prize aims to identify and launch the most compelling social business ideas – start-up enterprises that tackle grave issues faced by billions of people. Winners receive USD 1 million in seed capital, as well as mentorship and advice from the international business community.
http://www.hultprize.org/challenge/
7. PRMIA Risk Management Challenge
Be part of an award-winning international student competition.
The Risk Management Challenge, a case competition of the PRMIA Institute, empowers undergraduate and graduate students by taking them beyond the classroom and giving them exposure to real-world business situations.
The Challenge offers students the opportunity to apply the concepts they have learned and showcase their knowledge, critical thinking skills, leadership, and presentation abilities.
Entry deadline: 6 January 2020
https://www.prmia.org/prmia-risk-management-challenge
8. John Molson MBA International Case Competition
The John Molson MBA International Case Competition is a not-for-profit event organised by a team of MBA students from the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. The competition is open to top business schools worldwide, and is recognised as the largest case competition of its kind. Its main purpose is to bridge the gap between corporate and academic worlds, which ultimately enriches both students and executives alike.
10. The John Molson Undergraduate Case Competition prepares the world’s brightest undergraduate business students to become leaders in a globally interdependent, culturally diverse and rapidly changing economic environment, while fostering strategic thinking, innovative problem-solving and sound decision-making.
February 23rd to February 29th 2020
https://www.jmucc.ca
Sustainable Investing Challenge
The submission portal will be open through February 20, 2020!
The Challenge:
Devise a Novel Financial Instrument
to Positively Impact the World The submission portal will be open through February 20, 2020!
https://www.sustainableinvestingchallenge.org
Deadline: March 18, 2020 (preliminary deadlines depend on your location)
The way the competition works:
▸Build an amazing team of 3 superheroes to solve the mission.
▸Come up with the most innovative idea, sharpen it throughout the selection process and become the champion of your country.
▸Fly to Paris, immerse yourself at L’Oréal’s headquarters and pitch your innovation to top L’Oréal executives.
https://brandstorm.loreal.com/
14. KPMG’s Case Competition is a world-class forum for students from across the globe.
This 4-day competition will give you the chance to learn, explore, network and compete against the best students around the world. Who will be the KICC Global Champions? It could be you!
Are you ready to make an impact? Stay tuned for details regarding the 2020 competition
https://home.kpmg/xx/en/home/careers/graduates/kpmg-international-case-competition/the-competition.html
15. P&G CEO Challenge: A competition which will test your aptitude for business strategy and real-life problem-solving. If you’ve been eager to demonstrate your ingenuity and intelligence beyond your campus, this is the chance to make an impression on a global scale.
Prepare to compete with teams from around the world to see who is most fit to be the next CEO of P&G. Top students will ascend to the Global Final in Mexico City and win the opportunity to meet P&G CEO David Taylor. First, prepare to showcase your ability to think critically about leading a brand. Best of luck!
https://www.pg-ceochallenge.com
16. Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge aims to recognize new business ideas that leverage technology for social impact from student entrepreneurs around the world. The Challenge is open to students and recent alumni from any college or university.
$350,000 USD in prize money will help accelerate the adoption of breakthrough technology, products, and services that drive economic development and/or solve social or environmental problems.
Submit your solution by January 17, 2020 at 5pm PT.
https://cisco.innovationchallenge.com
17. The Rotman Design Challenge (RDC) is a live event at the Rotman School of Management that brings together top talent from leading MBA and design schools across the globe to propose solutions to a complex business challenge posed by an innovative and forward-thinking sponsor.
https://www.rotmanbdc.com/rotman-design-challenge
18. MAP THE SYSTEM 2020
Map the System is a global competition that challenges you to think differently about social and environmental change.
http://www.oxfordglobalchallenge.com
Deeply explore an issue that matters to you and share your findings with the world. You must submit your final materials via an online form by 25 March at 23:59 GMT.
http://www.oxfordglobalchallenge.com/take-part/
19. Schneider Go Green 2020: Global Student Case Competition
Empowering students to speak up on their bold ideas to impact the world and reshape the energy industry!AWARDS
Grand Prize - Trip to Boston, USA; visit Schneider Innovation HUB + Personalised Tour of MIT and Greentown Lab
Global Finalists - Trip of a lifetime to Las Vegas for the Grand Finale during Schneider Electric’s Global Innovation Summit
Regional Finalists - Connect with Schneider Electric experts for mentorship and learning in order to develop proposals
Women in Energy Award - For one all-female team chosen across the globe, securing a place in the Grand Finale at Las Vegas and a cash award of EUR €1,000
Top Teams - HR interview with Schneider Electric to learn about job opportunities! #SEGreatPeople.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/schneider-go-green-2020-global-student-case-competition-tickets-85594165453
20. Patagonia Case Competition
This one-of-a-kind case competition redefines the relationship between business and a healthy planet.
Graduate students from across the US tackle the interconnected business and sustainability aspects of a current, real-life issue facing the outdoor gear retailer Patagonia.
The deadline to register a team is January 15, 2020, 11:59PM PST.
https://haas.berkeley.edu/responsible-business/events/patagonia-case-competition/
21. Atos IT Challenge 2020
Atos IT Challenge is the 1st international student technology competition. Students worldwide are asked to come up with an innovative concept related to the year’s theme and then develop the best app.
This year’s theme is about Cooperative Artificial Intelligence.
The first international student competition dedicated to technological innovation
Application: Dec 19, 2019 - Apr, 2020
https://www.atositchallenge.net
22. The CFO Global
The CFO (Chief Financial Officer) is an annual, open-entry, and global multi-stage business strategy and leadership-focused casestudy competition, organised by The CharterQuest Institute South Africa. It challenges university students around the world to prove they can compete at the highest level: by solving a set of complex and integrated finance, operational, strategic and ethical problems that beset a real-world global business in the emerging markets.
http://www.charterquest.co.za/the-cfo
23. ClinicalKey Global Challenge | Elsevier
In 2020, this could be you! ... Student platform and a video round to win a place at our finale; an immersive clinical case escape room.Think you’ve got what it takes to beat the best? Register your interest for the 2020 ClinicalKey Global Challenge.
https://www.elsevier.com/education/ck-global-challenge
24. 2020: THE CHALLENGES OF SOCIAL INCLUSION
The 2020 Advancing Development Goals International Contest for Graduate Students aims to present innovative and pragmatic solutions to address the challenges of social inclusion.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
23 MARCH 2020
SUBMISSION DEADLINE
13 JULY 2020
https://graduateinstitute.ch/geneva-challenge/2020
25. Oxford Global Private Equity Challenge, in association with the University of Oxford’s Private Equity Institute.
Working in teams to assess the potential for a private equity investment (leverage buyout) of a publicly listed company, your recommendations will be evaluated by a professional judging panel with a cash award for the winning team.
First round submissions by email 12th January 2020
https://www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/events/oxford-global-private-equity-challenge
26. Applications for MassChallenge Israel’s 2020 cohort are now open!
Apply ataccelerate.masschallenge.org by 11:59PM on January 26, 2020.
MassChallenge uses a competition model to select our startups. Prospective MassChallenge startups submit application(s) for the MassChallenge accelerator program(s) they would like to join. After submitting the application, startups will participate in one or two rounds of judging. At the end of these judging rounds, the highest-impact and highest-potential startups are invited to participate in the accelerator as Finalists.
https://masschallenge.org/about-apply
27. 2020 IB Case Competition
February 27 – 28, 2020
More information coming soon!
The International Business Case Competition is an annual event in which students from several different universities, especially minority serving institutions are placed in groups to solve a real-world business problem. The challenge provides students with the opportunity to meet students from other universities as well as gain insight on real-world business issues.
https://ciber.robinson.gsu.edu/ciber-case-competition/
28. 2020 Accenture Innovation Challenge
We are currently accepting applications for the 2020 Accenture Innovation Challenge through January 13, 2020. Learn more about this year’s non-profit client, competition details, and where to apply below.
Round 1 (in-person, regional): January/February 2020
Round 2 (virtual): early to mid-March 2020
Round 3 (in-person, New York): late March 2020
Associated competition round travel and expenses will be paid for by Accenture.
https://www.accenture.com/us-en/careers/local/accenture-innovation-challenge
29. The HEC Paris Business Game brings hundreds of highly-talented students from around the world to compete in a challenging, but fun, two-day case competition in Paris.
http://www.hecbusinessgame.com
30. 4flow challenge
Case study competition
for students
During this competition, teams of international students develop solutions for current supply chain topics. Participating teams get an inside look at supply chain consulting and the agile approach consultants at 4flow take. The best teams are then invited to 4flow’s headquarters in Berlin, Germany for the finals.
https://www.4flow.com/careers/4flow-challenge.html
31. The CASE is an international real estate development competition that provides graduate student teams the opportunity to showcase their real estate knowledge, creativity, and problem solving abilities by analyzing and programming a complex real world development site. The CASE is organized and hosted by The CASE Collaborative. The CASE is not an invitation-only competition; it is open to any graduate student team in the world.
Final Registration Submitted Online Deadline: January 10, 2020
https://thecasecompetition.com
32. DATATHON 2020
THE INTERNATIONAL DATA SCIENCE HACKATHON
13-15 March 2020
Datathon 2020 is the meeting point for all Data Scientists from all around the world who are thrilled to be challenged with real data science cases.
https://www.datasciencesociety.net/datathon/
33. CORENET GLOBAL ACADEMIC CHALLENGE
We invite students from around the world to think creatively about a problem facing real estate professionals for renowned companies like Google, Duke Energy, AstraZeneca, Whirlpool, and many others. In exchange? Travel the world with an all-expense paid trip to one of our Global Summits in Asia or North America. Challenge your mind power by competing with your peers from around the world. Gain international experience. Connect with experts. Win US $5,000 for your team.
All competitions are open to students from all over the world; there is no registration fee.
https://www.corenetglobal.org/join/joinnow.aspx?ItemNumber=21061
34. Hello Tomorrow Global Summit.
Opportunity to pitch or showcase in front of a curated audience of renowned industry leaders & investors
Get spotted by international media, with interview opportunities
FUNDING
€100K Grand Prize for the best early-stage deep tech project and €10K Prize for each industry track winner
A dedicated Investor Day for 1-to-1 meetings with 200 renowned VCs and CVCs.
https://hello-tomorrow.org/startups/
35. The Point72 Academy Case Competition is your chance to showcase your investing skills by presenting a stock pitch to Point72 with a team from your university.
The deadline for registration is January 5, 2020.
Submit
On January 6, 2020 team captains will receive submission instructions for their teams’ entries.
Teams must then submit their presentation and video through Point72’s portal by January 31, 2020
https://careers.point72.com/CSJobDetail?jobName=2020-academy-case-competition&jobCode=CPC-0005045&retURL=/CSCareerSearch
36. Code Launch 2020
CodeLaunch provides seed services that are invaluable to early-stage startups. Sponsors and partners help guide winning startup ventures down the path of success while minimizing their financial risk.
Do you have the next great software or app idea, but just need a little help reaching MVP stage?
Cost: Free — you don’t have to worry about surrendering equity either.
Industry focus: Software technology.
Amount you can win: More than $67K worth of seed services.
https://www.codelaunch.com
37. Postcode Lottery Green Challenge 2020
Location: Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Date: You can apply between March 1st and May 1st. The finals are usually held in September.
Cost: Free. Finalists will also be reimbursed (to an extent) for travel and lodging expenses to attend the finals in Amsterdam.
Industry focus: Sustainable entrepreneurship.
Amount you can win: €500,000 (also €200,000 for the runner-up and €100,000 each for three other finalists).
https://www.greenchallenge.info/
38. MIT $100K 2020
Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
Date: TBD, as the Pitch stage takes place in October. If you are interested in the Accelerate stage, you can apply until January 13. Accelerate 2020 will be held on February 12.
Cost: Free, but only open to currently registered MIT students (or those working with them).
Industry focus: Technology oriented, but the spectrum is broad.
Amount you can win: $5,000 at the PITCH stage, $10,000 at the Accelerate stage and $100,000 at the final Launch stage.
http://www.mit100k.org/#about
39. SevenVentures Pitch Day 2020
Cost: Free to apply.
Industry focus: B2C industries.
Amount you can win: €3,000,000 in TV media package (specific offerings change every year).
http://www.sevenventures.de/en/7vpden
40. Startup World Cup 2020
Location: San Francisco, California, USA
Date: May 17th.
Cost: Free to apply to one of the regional events (there are currently 18 planned for 2020), for a chance to participate in the Startup World Cup Grand Finale 2020 in May. Tickets to attend range from $80-$399.
Industry focus: Geared towards improving lives and transforming industries — such as with healthcare, artificial intelligence, robotics, transportation, financial technologies, IoT, augmented reality and agriculture.
Amount you can win: €1,000,000 in investment.
https://www.startupworldcup.io/
41. Collision 2020
Location: Toronto, Canada
Date: May 20-23
Cost: 695 CAD (Canadian Dollars) to become a part of ALPHA, which gets you three tickets, opportunity to access Office Hours, Mentor Hours, Startup University, startup workshops and PITCH.
Industry focus: Broad.
Amount you can win: There is no money — but there is a ton of exposure, and a PITCH trophy.
https://collisionconf.com/
42. Arch Grants Competition
Location: St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Date: You can apply for the 2020 Arch Grand from February 1 – April 15. The Finalist Pitch Day takes place in August.
Cost: Free — but you must be willing to relocate your business to St. Louis in order to be eligible for the grand.
Industry focus: Broad, but with a focus on supporting the economy of St. Louis.
Amount you can win: An equity-free cash grant of $50,000
https://archgrants.org/
43. Global Startup Competition 2020
Location: TBD. Last year was held in Berlin, Germany.
Date: The 3-day final will be held in June 2020, but there will be several regional events until May — or you can apply online from April 1-30.
Cost: Free
Industry focus: Broad
Amount you can win: A 1-year business development support with expenses covered; an investment offer up to €500,000.
https://getinthering.co/globalstartupcompetition/
44. U.Pitch 2020
Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Date: TBD. Applications for this year’s U.Pitch 2020 will open in the autumn
Cost: Free
Industry focus: Broad
Amount you can win: $10,000
https://futurefounders.com/startup/upitch/
45. European Social Innovation CompetitionLocation: Brussels, Belgium.
Date: TBD (usually takes place in November).
Cost: Free
Industry focus: Broad. The theme changes every year, but the focus is on ideas which “come up with solutions to the problems affecting our society”.
Amount you can win: €50,000
https://eusic.challenges.org/
46. Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards 2020
Date: TBD. The application period for 2019 has already closed, but you can apply for the 2020 edition in June.
Cost: Free
Industry focus: Broad. Categories include anything from consumer goods, education & culture, hospitality & tourism to agriculture and science.
Amount you can win: The first seven winners (laureates) will get a $100,000 prize, along with a one-on-one business mentoring. The remaining 14 finalists will also get a $30,000.
https://www.cartierwomensinitiative.com/
47. Hatch Pitch 2020 Summit
Location: Austin, Texas, USA.
Date: March 16th. You have until January 10 to apply for this year’s Hatch Pitch.
Cost: No fee to apply.
Industry focus: Broad.
Amount you can win: There is no monetary prize, but finalists get the chance to receive one-one feedback from mentors.
https://www.hatchpitch.com/
48. The Alconics Awards 2020
Location: London, UK and San Francisco, California, USA.
Date: June 11 for the London event, September 24 for the SF event.
Cost: TBD.
Industry focus: AI.
Amount you can win: No monetary prize, but winning the award will bring top industry recognition.
https://theaisummit.com/#series/
49. New York StartUP!
Location: NYC, New York, USA.
Date: You have until January 31 to submit an entry, and until May 30 to upload your business plan for review. In between, you have to attend four workshops.
Cost: Free.
Industry focus: Broad, as long as it’s NYC based.
Amount you can win: $15,000
https://www.nypl.org/help/services/startup/
50. Seedstars World Competition 2020
Location: Switzerland.
Date: TBD, there are many regional events taking place throughout the year in preparation for the Seedstars Summit
Cost: Free — the winners of regional events get a flight ticket to attend the finals in Switzerland.
Industry focus: Broad.
Amount you can win: Up to one million USD in equity investment, plus cash and in-kind prizes.
https://www.seedstarsworld.com/
51. Slush 2020
Location: There are four Slush events taking place throughout the year in Helsinki, Tokyo, Shanghai and Singapore.
Date: February 22-23 (Tokyo), September 7-8 (Shanghai), September 14 (Singapore), December (Helsinki).
Cost: Free.
Industry focus: Tech.
Amount you can win: There is no monetary prize, but you can take advantage of the Slush community; get speed mentoring and resources.
https://www.slush.org/
52. StartCon 2020
Location: Sydney, Australia.
Date: TBD, usually takes place in December
Cost: TBD.
Industry focus: Broad.
Amount you can win: $1,000,000 in investment.
https://www.startcon.com/pitch/
53. Demo Day 2020
Location: Mountain View, California, USA.
Date: March 18-20, with a second event taking place at the end of August
Cost: There is no cost, but the event is private and attendance is invitation-only. You just need to snag that invite!
Industry focus: Broad.
Amount you can win: No monetary prize in Demo Day, but to even be in the process means you’ve already gotten funding from Y Combinator.
https://www.ycombinator.com/demoday/
54. The Lovie Awards 2020
Location: London, UK.
Date: TBD, usually taking place in December, so next is 2020
Industry focus: Internet, Digital & Social Media.
No monetary prize — but a ton of exposure.
https://www.lovieawards.eu/
55. Next Founders 2020
Location: Toronto, Ontario.
Date: TBD
Cost: There is no cost to participate in the program
Industry focus: Broad, but your business has to be located in Southern Ontario.
Amount you can win: Up to $30K in non-dilutive grant funding.
https://www.nextcanada.com/next-founders#/
56. gener8tor Madison 2020
Location: Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
Date: You have until February 10 to apply, the program starts March 28 – June 13, culminating in Premiere Night
Cost: Free — but invite only
Industry focus: E-commerce, IT, hardware, life science, medtech, software, SaaS, web
Amount you can win: $100,000 in investment ($20,000 in cash and $80,000 guaranteed follow-on capital) plus access to gener8tor staff and one million dollars’ worth of deals and perks from vendors such as Microsoft, Amazon and PayPal.
https://www.gener8tor.com/gener8tor
57. SparkHealth Startup Competition 2020
Location: Houston, Texas, USA.
Date: You have until February 1 to apply, the competition takes place May 17-18.
Cost: Free to apply — tickets to join the event range from $100-$300 (but are free for students).
Industry focus: Biotechnology, medical devices and equipment
Amount you can win: No cash prize, but funding opportunities.
https://www.sparkhealthtexas.com/
58. Food Solutions Challenge
Sponsored by Bayer and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development
Host an event and inspire solutions that impact the UN Sustainable Development Goals January 15 - April 15, 2020
Undergrads, Grads & Pros
Individuals worldwide
Open to All
The Food Solutions Challenge is a local event series and case competition that challenges today’s brightest minds to find solutions to pressing issues in food and agriculture.
https://www.netimpact.org/programs/food-solutions
59. The Borealis Student Innovation Award is an international competition for students from all over the world. Following Borealis' trailblazing mission of value creation through innovation, our award aims to recognise your innovative thinking and pioneering solutions.
The award recognises and rewards the three best thesis research papers (one for a bachelor’s degree graduate, one for a master’s degree graduate and one for a doctorate degree graduate).
The application period begins September 1, 2019 and the deadline is March 1, 2020.
https://www.borealisgroup.com/company/innovation/student-innovation-award?utm_source=SC&utm_campaign=Borealis2020
60. The IATA air cargo career competition
FACE-UP! gives recent graduates from around the world with the opportunity to present their thesis to industry executives at the 2020 World Cargo Symposium (WCS) in Istanbul, Turkey.
End of the submission period: 17 January 2020
https://www.iata.org/face-up
