Sprott Competes
Advanced case training • Dedicated coaching • International case opportunities
Take your case skills further
Sprott Competes is Carleton University’s case-competition-based experiential learning pathway. It is designed to build advanced skills in business analysis, decision-making, teamwork and presentation through intensive case practice and competition.
Working individually and in teams, students learn to analyze complex business problems, make defensible decisions, build integrated recommendations and present their ideas persuasively under pressure.
Who is it for?
Sprott Competes is intended primarily for Sprott students in their second year and beyond who are familiar with business cases and ready for advanced coaching and regular team training.
We do not require prior participation in any particular activity. Relevant experience can come from many places, including Sprott ACE, Strategy Bootcamp, case-based coursework, previous competitions, or other case activities.
Successful candidates may be selected for competition teams or invited to join the Sprott Competes Development Squad, where they can continue developing their skills and prepare for future competition.
How Sprott Competes works
Sprott Competes combines open participation opportunities with selective advanced training and competition pathways. Students can take part through the Sprott Internal Case Competition, earn a place on an external competition team, or join the Development Squad to continue building their skills and prepare for future competitions.
Internal Case Competition
The Sprott Fall Internal Case Competition is open to all Sprott students and provides an opportunity to test case skills in a competitive setting. Self-formed teams of three or four analyze a business case, develop a recommendation and present their solution to a panel of judges.
The 2026 competition will take place on Saturday, November 7 in the Nicol Building.
External Competition Teams
Students selected for external competition teams receive advanced case training and dedicated team coaching as they prepare to represent Sprott.
For 2026–27, confirmed opportunities include the NIBS Worldwide Case Competition and the Schlesinger Global Family Enterprise Case Competition (SGFECC). Other competitions may be added based on student interest and available resources.
Development Squad
The Sprott Competes Development Squad gives promising students an opportunity to continue developing their case skills as full members of Sprott Competes, even when the number of places on competition teams is limited.
Development Squad members are selected through the same tryout process as competition-team members. They train alongside the competition teams on a lighter schedule, participate in case practice, and observe and critique team presentations.
The Development Squad helps students prepare for future competitions while also giving Sprott Competes a pool of trained students who may be considered if team vacancies arise or additional competition opportunities become available.
What are case competitions?
Case competitions challenge teams of students to solve complex business problems under tight time constraints. Teams analyze a written case, identify key issues, evaluate alternatives and develop a recommendation, then present and defend their solution before a panel of judges.
See case competition training in action
Strong case work demands focus, judgment and the willingness to defend a point of view.
Skills you’ll build
Analysis and decision-making
Work through complex information, manage ambiguity and make sensible, defensible choices.
Teamwork under pressure
Divide tasks, refine ideas quickly and build an integrated solution as a team.
Persuasive presentation
Present a clear recommendation, support it with evidence and defend your thinking with confidence.
International perspective is another important benefit, with opportunities to compete and connect with students from business schools in Canada and around the world.
2026–27 opportunities
NIBS Worldwide Case Competition
The Network of International Business Schools (NIBS) Worldwide Case Competition brings together undergraduate business students from around the world. Sprott will participate in the online Qualifying Round in November 2026. The top 16 teams advance to the five-round Championship, which will take place February 7–12, 2027 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Schlesinger Global Family Enterprise Case Competition
Organized by the University of Vermont, the Schlesinger Global Family Enterprise Case Competition (SGFECC) focuses on the distinctive challenges faced by family businesses. The 2027 competition will take place January 13–16 in Burlington, Vermont, and includes four rounds of competition.
Key dates
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| Early October | Tryouts for competition teams & Development Squad |
| Late October | Advanced case training and team coaching begins |
| November 7 | Sprott Internal Case Competition |
| November | NIBS Qualifying Round |
| January–February | NIBS and SGFECC international competitions |
Participation expectations
Competition-team members should be prepared to commit approximately 4–6 hours per week to training and preparation, with additional time required as competitions approach. Development Squad members will have a lighter weekly commitment. There is no fee to participate in Sprott Competes.
Participation in Sprott Competes is also eligible for recognition on Carleton’s Co-Curricular Record.
Tryouts and selection
Tryouts for Sprott Competes competition teams and the Development Squad will take place in early October. Students will be assessed on their case-analysis, teamwork and presentation skills, as well as their potential.
Additional details regarding the tryout process, eligibility and registration will be posted here as they are confirmed.
Interested in Sprott Competes?
Register your interest to receive updates about tryouts, training, competitions and other opportunities.
Related experiential learning opportunities
Sprott Competes is one of several ways Sprott students can gain hands-on experience beyond the classroom. Other experiential learning opportunities include:
Students may also explore other opportunities across Carleton, including the Innovation Hub, as well as student-led activities such as Sprott ACE.
These opportunities are complementary, and many students participate in more than one during their time at Sprott.
Contact Us
Questions about Sprott Competes can be directed to sprott-competes@sprott.carleton.ca