At a Glance
Seeing a gap in the case competition landscape for finance-specific competitions, Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business (JMSB) and Van Berkom and Associates Inc. started the Van Berkom JMSB Small-Cap Case Competition in 2011. This event, a premier case competition focused on small-cap investment, provides business students with an opportunity to showcase their ability to analyze financial business cases, develop strategic recommendations and apply the academic skills they have gained in the classroom while networking with other business students and professionals in the finance industry.
Inspiration
This case competition was inspired by the investment philosophy and strategy of Van Berkom and Associates Inc., a respected specialist investment firm solely dedicated to the management of small-cap portfolios. Their involvement in this competition acts as a valuable complement to the business education of the participating students. Participants are expected to propose investment strategies that reflect the rigorous research, analysis, risk management and selection processes that allow small-cap firms to maintain long-term growth.
Nine Teams, Two Days
A qualifying round will be carried out in January of each year. Teams will be given a week to complete their analysis of a case and submit their written applications. The top nine teams selected by our qualifying round judges will be invited to travel to Montreal in March to compete in the Van Berkom JMSB Case Competition. The final competition will involve two days of intense case solving. Teams will be paired up to compete against each other based on a random draw and awarded points by the judges. The cumulative total for the two cases will determine the top three winning schools.
Unique Case Format
The Van Berkom JMSB Small-Cap Case Competition is the only competition of its kind. Not only is the competition focused on finance, where teams must evaluate whether to hold or sell based on their assessment of the chosen company, but each case is presented in a live format. Teams are invited into a simulated analyst call, where Mr. van Berkom and two of his senior associates act as the management of the chosen company. Teams are given a summary of the company and then have the opportunity to ask two questions per team.
$10,000 in Cash Prizes
All nine teams will compete for $10,000 in cash prizes, with first place walking away with a cheque for $5,000. After the first presentation teams will be given feedback from the judges to help them improve their presentations for the next day. At the end of day one, the scores are tabulated and announced at the evening networking cocktail. With no eliminations, it is still anyone's game, and teams are encouraged to take the judges' feedback with them as they prepare for day two. The top three placing teams are announced at the gala dinner on Saturday night.