what are case competitions

--- title: "What are case competitions" slug: "what-are-case-competitions" type: "guide" excerpt: "A plain-English overview of what case competitions are, how they run, and what judges expect." difficulty: "intro" readingTime: 6 topics: ["case-competitions", "overview", "judging"] categories: ["guides"] publishedAt: "2025-12-02" updatedAt: "2025-12-02" ---

Case competitions are short, high-intensity projects where student teams solve a real or realistic business problem. You research, build a recommendation, and present it to a judging panel.

The typical format

• A brief with context, goals, and constraints
• A fixed time window (often 24 hours to 2 weeks)
• A final presentation or submission

What judges care about

• Clear problem framing and assumptions
• Evidence-backed insights
• A practical, well-structured recommendation
• Delivery that is confident and concise

Why they matter

Case competitions train you to think like a consultant or strategist under time pressure. They are also a signal to employers that you can work in teams and communicate clearly.