Competitions for MBA Students

New in 2017, Chicago CRED and the Rustandy Center are inviting all Chicago-area MBA students to participate in the CRED Challenge: Creating Economic Opportunity in Chicago, during which students will develop ideas for new enterprises designed to employ Chicago youth at highest risk of gun violence. Chicago CRED (Creating Real Economic Destiny), an initiative cofounded by the former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and the Palo Alto–based Emerson Collective, will award cash prizes to the most promising finalist ideas. For more information, contact Jennifer Kaufman at Jennifer.kaufman@chicagobooth.edu. 

Key dates:

October 9 - Learning session for applicants

October 26 - Deadline for business plan submissions

NEW - Download the CRED_Challenge_Application (pdf)

November 4 - Workshop for finalists

November 17 - Finals competition

Additional Resources:

NEW - CRED Challenge Judging Criteria (pdf)

CRED Challenge (pdf)

CRED Challenge FAQs (pdf)

Chicago CRED fact sheet (pdf)

Crain's Chicago Business, "Special Report: Jobs vs. Bullets: If jobs stop bullets, why aren't more companies stepping up?" by Lisa Bertagnoli, August 2017 — Read the article »

Chicago Magazine, "Can Arne Duncan Save Chicago?" by Lauren Williamson, November 2016 — Read the article »

Arne Duncan’s May 2017 speech at the City Club of Chicago — Watch the video »

The MBA Impact Investing Networking and Training (MIINT) program is an experiential learning opportunity for students at leading business schools to source and conduct diligence on early-stage impact investments. Booth student teams compete in the Booth finals for the opportunity to participate in the MIINT national finals, where each team will present their recommendations to an investment committee composed of impact investors.

The Aspen Institute’s Business & Society International MBA Case Competition focuses on finding innovative solutions to social, ethical, and environmental problems facing real businesses. Booth students compete to be one of the five teams selected to present in front of the Aspen Institute and its corporate and academic partners for a share of more than $35,000 in scholarship funds.

The UNC Invest for Impact Case Competition is a one-day competition that allows student teams to play the role of impact investing firms.

The Sterling Partners Investment Thesis Challenge encourages students to form teams to conceive and propose an original investment thesis. A limited number of teams will subsequently be selected to work with mentors at private equity firms over a span of three months, during which time they will develop an investment thesis based on proprietary research and recommend an execution strategy.

The Venture Capital Investment Competition is the world's largest venture capital competition, with more than 70 universities competing. The University of Chicago participates in both the undergraduate VCIC (uVCIC) and MBA-level VCIC global competitions. The program is a student-run Winter Quarter event at Chicago Booth.