GAIN REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE

• All undergraduate students seeking a business degree at a Business School in the United States and around the world.
• Teams will consist of three to four undergraduate students from the same Business School.
• Students must be in good academic and disciplinary standing
• Interdisciplinary teams encouraged (i.e., teams made up of students from different business disciplines ).
• No team member can compete in multiple teams.
• Must agree to abide by all competition rules and regulations, including the use of proprietary case materials and data. 

Note: Finalist teams are responsible for all travel arrangements and expenses associated with attending the competition in Miami, including obtaining any required passports, visas, or other travel documents for entry into the United States. The University of Miami Business School will provide a one-night hotel stay for finalist teams. All submissions and presentations must be conducted in English.

Students will be judged on:

1. Understanding of challenge, and research of non-profit context
2. Alignment of proposal with mission of non-profit business
3. Feasibility and implementation of proposal
4. Impact and sustainability of proposal
5. Presentation and communication skills

All prizes are divided equally among team members. All winners will be responsible for completing a W-9 Form and submitted to the site organizer before prize money is issued.

First Place: $3,500
Second Place: $2,400
Third Place: $1,200

Judge Panels will be composed of industry experts, community leaders, and corporate partners.

Team Application

All Participating Team applications must be completed with all required documentation. We encourage all teams to review the form with ample time to ensure that backup documents and letters are requested with ample time.

Team confirmations will be emailed to the team captain.

Faculty advisors or coaches are not permitted.

Semifinal Stage

Participating Teams will receive CASE 1 with instructions via the Team Captain email provided. CASE 1 submission will include a 10 minute video presentation and PPT deck due back, per the instructions provided.

Panel of Judges will review submissions the following week and will likely reach out to the Team Captains via email for additional information and follow-up questions.

Final Participating teams will be announced and Team Captains will receive notice via email and participating teams will be posted on the case competition website.

Judging Rubric for Semi Final Stage – CASE 1:

1. Understanding of challenge, and research of non-profit context (20 pts)
   1. Team demonstrated a deep understanding of the non-profit business’s mission, challenge(s) and its impact on its direct community and beyond.
2. Alignment of proposal with mission of non-profit business’s (25 pts)
   1. Alignment with mission and value of non-profit business’s
   2. Creativity and innovation
   3. Ethical considerations
3. Feasibility and implementation of proposal (25 points)
   1. Actionable plan
   2. Risk management and contingency
   3. Financial and resource considerations
4. Impact and sustainability of proposal (15 pts)
   1. Long-term impact and scalability
   2. Community and stakeholder engagement
5. Presentation and communication skills (15 pts)
   1. Professionalism
   2. Clarity of delivery

 Total of 100 pts

Final Stage on the University of Miami Coral Gables Campus

During the Final Stage, Participating Teams will arrive to the University of Miami Business School for breakfast and check-in no later than 8:00 am. CASE 2 release and kickoff will begin promptly at 9:00am. At the conclusion of the kickoff, each Participating Team will receive a sealed envelope with the CASE 2 documents and description of deliverables and will be released to their working rooms.

 All Participating Teams will submit all deliverables electronically, per instructions provided, by noon and will reconvene by 1pm in a designated wait room in anticipation of their presentation time slot.

 Judging Rubric for Final Stage – CASE 2:

1. Understanding of challenge, and research of non-profit context (20 pts)
   1. Team demonstrated a deep understanding of the non-profit business’s mission, challenge(s) and its impact on its direct community and beyond.
2. Alignment of proposal with mission of non-profit business’s (20 pts)
   1. Alignment with mission and value of non-profit business’s
   2. Creativity and innovation
   3. Ethical considerations
3. Feasibility and implementation of proposal (25 points)
   1. Actionable plan
   2. Risk management and contingency
   3. Financial and resource considerations
4. Impact and sustainability of proposal (15 pts)
   1. Long-term impact and scalability
   2. Community and stakeholder engagement
5. Presentation and communication skills (10 pts)
   1. Professionalism
   2. Clarity of delivery
6. Responsiveness in Question and Answer (10 pts)
   1. Adaptability and thoughtfulness
   2. Ability to stay focused under pressure

 Total of 100 pts

• All sources must be cited using APA style 7^th.
• Use of AI is encouraged if it’s utilized as a tool for exploration and innovation. Copy/pasting AI-generated text is considered plagiarism and will disqualify the Participating Team.

Directions to the University of Miami – Coral Gables Campus:

Address:
University of Miami,
1320 S Dixie Hwy,
Coral Gables, FL 33146.

1. From Miami International Airport:
- Take FL-836 W from NW 21st St.
- Use the right lanes to take FL-836 W toward Coral Gables/FL-826.
- Merge onto FL-826 S/Palmetto Expy.
- Take the exit for Miller Dr/SW 56th St.
- Head east on Miller Dr until you reach San Amaro Dr.
- Turn right onto San Amaro Dr to reach the campus.

2. From Downtown Miami:
- Take I-95 S toward US-1.
- Continue on US-1 to Stanford Dr (right turn).
- Follow Stanford Dr into the main entrance of the University of Miami.
- Follow signage to Pavia Parking Garage.

3. From South Miami:
- Take US-1 North.
- Turn left onto Stanford Dr into the main entrance of the University of Miami.
- Follow signage to Pavia Parking Garage.

Parking Instructions for Pavia Parking Garage:

Address:
Pavia Garage,
5615 Pavia St,
Coral Gables, FL 33146.

1. Entrance to the Pavia Parking Garage:

• Enter through the main gate of the University of Miami at Stanford Dr.
• Drive straight and take the second right onto Pavia St.
• The entrance to the **Pavia Parking Garage** will be on your left.

• Visitors can park in Pavia Garage using the PayByPhone app or kiosks.
• The PayByPhone location code for the garage is typically posted on signs.
• Parking is usually charged hourly, so check current rates via the app or posted signs.
• Faculty, staff, and students with parking permits must park in designated areas.

• Accessible parking spaces are available on the ground floor of the garage.
• Ensure that your accessible parking permit is displayed.

• Visitors should park on the designated visitor floors.
• Make sure to follow the signs that guide you to exits and stairwells for easier access to your destination on campus.

Finalist teams are responsible for arranging and funding their own travel to Miami, including obtaining any necessary passports, visas, or other travel documentation required for entry into the United States.

All finalist teams traveling more than 70 miles to the Coral Gables campus will receive one night of lodging (at a local hotel within 4 miles of campus) from February 19 to 20, 2027 paid for and arranged by the University of Miami Business School. 

For hotel accommodations, please contact Mrs. Dipre.

2026 BUSINESS SCHOOL Annual Case Competition Winners 

• First Place: University of Florida Warrington College of Business
  Team: Cristi Haley, Mell Vigoa Campa, Sebastian Perez, Ella Zucchero
• Second Place: Auburn University Harbert College of Business
  Team: Asa Ernest, Grady Marshall, Garrett Roesel, Joseph McElroy
• Third Place: University of Miami Business School
  Team: Kaleab Bekele, Malakiyah Fairclough, Brian Bros
• Honorable Mention: Cornell University Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management
  Team: Lisa Huynh, Linda Phan, Annette Hoi Ching Jap

2025 BUSINESS SCHOOL Annual Case Competition Winners 

• First Place: University of Miami Business School
  Team: Jonah Businger and Judah Pardau
• Second Place: Nova Southeastern University H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship
  Team: Alisa van Deijck, Ria Verma, Justin Gonzalez, and Rakeem Richards
• Third Place: University of Miami Business School
  Team: Doménica Núñez del Arco, Veronica Rubio, Paul Lohmann, and Matias Rubin

2024 BUSINESS SCHOOL Annual Case Competition Winners 

• First Place: Naila Charania, Simran Arora, and Martina Kurchan
• Second Place: Eli Gordon, Daniel Soo-Hyuk McNamara, and Jackson Roe
• Third Place: Toby Cotner, Bradley DeRosa, and Ryan Oztekin

2026 Semi Final Winners

• Auburn University Harbert College of Business
  Team #10 - Asa Ernest, Grady Marshall, Garrett Roesel, Joseph McElroy
• Florida State University Herbert Wertheim College of Business
  Team #12 - Aaron Schvarts, Bhanuchandra Kolla, Sanjana Penmetcha, Ana Mayo
• Nova Southeastern University H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship
  Team #13 - Danna Palacios, Valentina De Izcue, Mattias Bartolini, Jason Brauner
• University of Miami Business School
  Team #15 - Fred Terezi, Thomas Boehm, Nathan Livermore
• University of Miami Business School
  Team #20 - Dylan Melnick, Bailey Topfer, Zev Gordman, Jeremy Toledano
• University of Miami Business School
  Team #21 - Ryan Cohen, Samuel Gonser, Dhilon Gupta, Kai Macy
• University of Miami Business School
  Team #22 - Kaleab Bekele, Malakiyah Fairclough, Brian Bros
• Cornell University Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management
  Team #28 - Lisa Huynh, Linda Phan, Annette Hoi Ching Jap
• University of Miami Business School
  Team #37 - Andrew Grant, Rylan Chandler, Maurice McCalla, Ivana Liberatore
• University of Florida Warrington College of Business
  Team #38 - Cristi Haley, Mell Vigoa Campa, Sebastian Perez, Ella Zucchero

Eligibility Requirements

Organizations interested in participating must meet the following criteria:

• Be a registered nonprofit entity incorporated in Miami-Dade, Broward, or Monroe County.
• Have been operating for at least one year and be in good standing with applicable state and federal regulations.
• Designate a primary organizational representative who will serve as the point of contact throughout the competition.
• Commit approximately 25 hours over approximately a five-month period, including:
  • Attendance at in-person evening networking events and Competition Day.
  • Participation as a judge during Case 1 virtual sessions.
  • Participation as a judge during Case 2 in-person final presentations.
  • Availability to respond to student questions via email during both cases.
• Be willing to share an organizational challenge, opportunity, or strategic issue that can be developed into a student case study.
• Collaborate with the Business School on promotional and instructional materials related to the competition, including planning meetings to support the development of both cases.
• Provide relevant non-confidential information and materials needed for case development and student analysis.
• Demonstrate an interest in reviewing and potentially implementing student recommendations.

Submit a Business School Client Partner Interest Form.