Fall Internal Case Competition
Analyze. Recommend. Defend.
Put your case skills to the test
Work with a team to analyze a challenging business problem, make a recommendation, and defend your thinking in front of a panel of judges — all under time pressure.
WHEN
Saturday, November 7, 2026
8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
WHO
Teams of 3 or 4
BCom, BIB and BAcc students
Junior and Senior categories
WHERE
Nicol Building
Carleton University
About the competition
The Sprott Fall Internal Case Competition is a one-day challenge in which student teams analyze a business case, develop a recommendation, and present their solution to a panel of judges. It is organized annually by Sprott Competes.
The competition is developmental as well as competitive. There is no single correct solution. Teams are challenged to make sense of the information provided, identify the most important issues, make choices, develop a realistic plan, and communicate and defend their recommendations under pressure.
Who can compete?
The competition is open to students in Sprott’s Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), Bachelor of International Business (BIB), and Bachelor of Accounting (BAcc) programs. Students in all years of study are welcome. Teams may include students from different Sprott programs and different years of study.
Teams may register with three or four students, although a team of four is recommended.
JUNIOR CATEGORY
Years 1–2
All team members are in the first or second year of their Sprott undergraduate program.
SENIOR CATEGORY
Year 3+
The team includes at least one student in third year or above. A mixed-year team with a third-year-or-higher student competes in the Senior category.
Separate Junior and Senior categories will be offered where registration numbers permit, giving less-experienced students a meaningful competitive pathway while maintaining a challenging environment for more experienced teams.
How the competition works
1. Analyze the case — 3 hours
All teams receive the same business case and have three hours to analyze the situation, evaluate alternatives, develop a recommendation, and prepare their presentation.
2. Present and defend — 15 minutes + 10 minutes Q&A
Teams present their analysis and recommendation to a panel of judges for up to 15 minutes, followed by 10 minutes of questions and discussion.
3. Advance to the Championship Final
Teams compete in preliminary groups within the Junior or Senior category. The winner of each group advances to the appropriate Championship Final. If a category has only one preliminary group, the top two teams advance.
4. Rethink and improve — 30 minutes
Finalists receive 30 minutes to rethink and improve any aspect of their solution and presentation before the Final — including their analysis, recommendation, implementation plan, calculations, storyline, slides, or presentation strategy.
Finalists may draw on what they learned from their preliminary presentation and the questions asked by the judges, but they receive no coaching or judges’ feedback before the Final.
The Championship Final uses the same 15-minute presentation and 10-minute Q&A format.
What to expect on competition day
Teams will begin with check-in and a competition briefing before the case is released. Lunch will be provided for registered competitors. Detailed room assignments and timing will be sent to registered teams before the event. Junior and Senior Championship Finals and awards will take place later in the day.
AI use in the Fall competition
The Fall competition is conducted under closed-Internet, no-AI conditions. During protected competition work periods, teams may not access the Internet, cloud-based resources, generative-AI tools, or AI functionality embedded in otherwise permitted software.
Why no AI?
This restriction is intended to ensure that the critical thinking, analysis, recommendations, teamwork, and communication demonstrated during the competition are the students’ own. Using AI effectively and responsibly is an important business capability, and Sprott Competes intends to offer other case activities in which AI will be permitted or required as part of the team’s toolkit.
Key competition rules
COMPETITION INTEGRITY
- Outside notes, saved research, case frameworks, databases, and other substantive reference materials are not permitted unless provided by the organizers.
- Phones, tablets, smartwatches, and other Internet-enabled devices must be switched off and stored as directed during protected competition work periods.
- Team members may not seek outside assistance or communicate about the case with anyone other than their registered teammates and authorized competition officials.
TECHNOLOGY
- Teams may use up to four personal laptops.
- Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and similar ordinary productivity software are permitted.
- A pre-existing PowerPoint template may be used for formatting and visual design, but it may not contain substantive case material.
How judging works
Judging is comparative and judgment-based. Judges use a common evaluation rubric to structure their assessment, but results are determined through panel discussion and ranking rather than by simply averaging numerical scores.
Judges will recognize that there may be several defensible approaches to the case. Recommendations should be supported, feasible and well implemented, and substance matters more than presentation polish alone.
| Weight | Criterion |
|---|---|
| 20% | Problem and situation analysis |
| 10% | Options considered and evaluation |
| 15% | Recommended solution |
| 25% | Implementation and feasibility |
| 15% | Presentation and delivery |
| 15% | Q&A and defense |
Judges will also provide developmental feedback, identifying key strengths and opportunities for improvement. To keep conditions fair for finalists, feedback will be provided only after the Championship Finals are complete.
Registration and capacity
The competition is expected to accommodate 12 teams and may expand to a maximum of 16 teams overall if registrations, facilities, judge availability, and event support permit.
If registrations exceed available capacity, the organizers may reserve a reasonable number of places in each category to preserve viable Junior and Senior competition. Remaining places will be assigned by random draw after the registration deadline, with excess teams placed on a randomly ordered wait-list. Teams will be notified of their confirmed place or wait-list position shortly after the registration deadline.
Registration deadline: Friday, October 16
Judges and external partners
Sprott Competes welcomes alumni, faculty, business leaders, and community partners who are interested in supporting student learning through the competition.
Judges evaluate student presentations, challenge teams through Q&A, and provide developmental feedback. Where possible, judging panels will include a mix of professional and academic perspectives, including alumni, business and community representatives, faculty, and former case competitors.
Volunteer as a judge
Judges will receive the case, evaluation criteria, and judging guidance in advance or at an organizer briefing. The role is designed to be a focused, high-impact way to contribute to student development.
Interested in supporting the competition?
Sprott Competes is also interested in building relationships with organizations and individuals who may wish to support case development, student learning, competition delivery, or future sponsorship opportunities.
Questions?
Questions about eligibility, registration, judging, competition rules, or getting involved? Contact Sprott Competes.