Analyze real-world business problems

Expand Your Network with External Case Competitions

External competitions are an opportunity for SFU Beedie students to demonstrate their skills beyond the university setting, on regional, national, and international stages.

From business challenges to case competitions and hackathons, competitions are designed to test innovation, critical thinking, and teamwork. By participating, students tackle real-world problems, develop their professional acumen, and stand out in a competitive job market.

How Are Student Teams Selected for External Competitions?

Competitors are chosen based on academic performance, competitive skills, and performance in competition training and internal case competitions. Students are recruited and selected in different ways.

• Case Draft: Students submit an individual response to a case provided. Each applicant will deliberate on a case and present their solution to the coaches. From receipt of the case to presentation, a case draft can span from three to seven days.
• Pathway Program: In programs such as the Advanced Case Training Program (ACTP), competition coaches work with teams of students throughout a period of four to five weeks. The program concludes with a capstone presentation after which coaches select students for external teams.
• Expressions of Interest: Students apply with no case deliberation but with specific requirements such as previous course work and case competition experience. Expressions of interest seek specific skills versus the Case Draft and Pathway Program. Recommended for senior and experienced competitors.

To be considered for a case competition team, apply to any of the pathways listed above. Recruitment happens each year in the summer for fall competitions, and in the fall for spring competitions. Coaches select teams from the applicant pool and begin an intensive training schedule usually four to eight months before the competition.

As a case competitor, you will:

• Undergo in-depth training and practice on case analysis and presentation skills.
• Learn to be a team player and make life-long connections with peers
• Impress future employers with your hands-on experience
• Have the chance to travel across North America or overseas

International case competition past participation

North America

• John Molson Undergraduate Case Competition (JMUCC) - Concordia University
• Lazaridis International Case Competition (LaZICC) - Wilfrid Laurier University
• Inter-Collegiate Case Competition (I.C.B.C) - Queen’s University
• Collegiate Ethics Case Competition (CECC) - University of Arizona
• CoMIS – University of Minnesota
• Business and Management Case Competition (BMCC), hosted by Universidad Panamericana
• Royal Roads Design Thinking Challenge (RRDTC), hosted by Royal Roads University

Europe

• International Case Competition at Maastricht University (ICC@M), Netherlands
• Central European Case Competition (CECC) - Corvinus University, Hungary
• RSM STAR - Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, Netherlands
• Global Case Competition - BI Norwegian Business School, Norway
• Belgrade Business International Case Competition (BBICC), Serbia

Australia

• University of Sydney Business School Case Competition

Industry Competitions

Students wishing to explore opportunities off campus can participate in industry competitions. They often allow for self-registration, have a low participation barrier, and provide close connections to the host company.

Participating in industry competitions gives you flexibility to participate in additional experiences that align with your interests and schedule. Our offices promote industry competitions through the weekly newsletter.

SFU Beedie students have engaged with:

• Deloitte Community Case Competition
• CBV Institution Business Valuation Challenge
• APRU Global Health Case Competition
• National Retail Case Competition
• Canadian Tire’s Ultimate Marketing Challenge
• Global Investment Banking Competition
• Canadian Marketing League

How to Find Opportunities

Faculty and staff regularly share information about upcoming events, including deadlines and requirements. Keep an eye on the SFU Beedie website and your SFU email for announcements.