Impact Investing Challenge
The Impact Investing Challenge (the Challenge) is IFC’s flagship competition for graduate students worldwide. It provides an opportunity for students to compete and collaborate while showcasing their skills as well as innovation ideas in the rapidly growing field of impact investing.
WINNER OF IMPACT INVESTING CHALLENGE 2022
| Team Name | University | University Location |
|---|---|---|
| Regenerative Carbon | New York University | USA |
ROUND 3 FINALISTS
The following three teams have advanced to the final round of the competition:
| Team Name | University | University Location |
|---|---|---|
| Regenerative Carbon | New York University | USA |
| Team MINT | University of Oxford | UK |
| Waste Busters | Columbia University | USA |
SECOND ROUND FINALISTS
The following six teams have advanced to Round 2 of competition:
| Team Name | University | University Location |
|---|---|---|
| Regenerative Carbon | New York University | USA |
| Team MINT | University of Oxford | UK |
| Team Mustang | University of Western Ontario | Canada |
| The Outliers | University of East London | UK |
| UMPact Investing | Maastricht University | Netherlands |
| Waste Busters | Columbia University | USA |
FIRST ROUND FINALISTS
This year 180 contestants from 29 universities from around the world submitted their innovative and impactful proposals. Here is the list of 12 teams that qualified for the first round.
| Team Name | University | University Location |
|---|---|---|
| Green Devils | Duke University | USA |
| Goal 5 | Mannheim Business School | Germany |
| Impact Squad | University of Peradeniya | Sri Lanka |
| Regenerative Carbon | New York University | USA |
| Resilient Capital | INSEAD | France |
| Team Mint | University of Oxford | UK |
| Team X | University of Cape Town | South Africa |
| The Outliers | University of East London | UK |
| Umpact Investing | Maastricht University | Netherlands |
| Vested Interest | Erasmus University | Netherlands |
| Waste Busters | Columbia University | USA |
| Team Mustang | University of Western Ontario | Canada |
APPLICATION PROCESS
Once you have formed a team of four, please go through the challenge prompt (click here to access the challenge) and email the proposal (click here to access the template) with CVs of all team members to iichallenge@ifc.org, and then submit the online application. The deadline to submit your entry is April 1st, 2022 23:59 EST.
COMPETITION STRUCTURE (Updated)
Each team will need to submit a proposal in response to this year’s challenge prompt. This year the challenge is to identify opportunities to support financial institutions in emerging markets and developing economies as they emerge from the global pandemic. The proposals will be assessed on a set of judging criteria – innovativeness of idea (25%), development impact potential (25%), implementation feasibility (25%), and proposal presentation (25%). The best team from each college/university will be selected to create a long list and then from this long list the best proposals will be shortlisted. The shortlisted teams will then compete in three different rounds, and one team will be selected as the winner.
KEY DATES
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Students start forming their teams and brainstorm ideas for their proposal. Once ready, teams email their proposals and CVs of all team members to iichallenge@ifc.org, and then complete the online application before the deadline. |
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All teams receive an update on their application status and shortlisted teams will receive instructions for the next stage of the competition. |
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IFC staff provide training to shortlisted teams on how to prepare and pitch an investment proposal, including a special segment on how to measure development impact. |
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Shortlisted teams present the potential development impact of their proposal to a panel of judges composed of economists and result measurement specialists. The top teams will proceed to the next round. |
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Teams cleared in Round 1 present the implementation plan and project feasibility to a panel of judges composed of investment officers and industry specialists. The top teams will proceed to the final round. |
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The top three teams present the overall proposal to a panel of judges composed of IFC Directors/Managers, and one team will be selected as the winner. |
RECOGNITION
All participants will receive online certificates. Shortlisted teams will have the opportunity to attend the masterclass. The top three teams will be invited to a mentoring session with IFC senior leadership staff. Members of the winning team may be also considered for fellowships depending on business need.
CONTACT US
If you have any question or query related to the competition, please send an email to iichallenge@ifc.org.
IFC MSME Finance Data Competition (November 2019)
