Two teams from Florida Tech’s Nathan M. Bisk College of Business competed in the University of New Mexico’s Global Scaling Challenge this spring, placing 3rd and 12th out of 46 teams and bringing home more than $4,000 in combined prize money.
The teams comprised four undergraduate students each, all studying business. They were led by faculty members Alina Malkova and Samuel Sekar with faculty member Tim Muth coordinating the teams’ involvement.
The Global Scaling Challenge pushes teams to synthesize the complex scaling – or rapid growth – needs of promising tech start-ups and design strategies for their short-term and long-term growth. This year, the start-ups were Hoonify and Nexus Health. Participants were given two weeks to research, work with the companies’ CEOs and prepare their recommendations. Then, they presented their ideas to the firms and a panel of judges.
“The experience quickly proved to be both enriching and eye-opening,” said junior Meghan Walker, a member of the 3rd-place team. “While the prize money was certainly an added incentive, the true reward was the insights I gained into tackling real-world business challenges with strategic thinking and practical problem-solving skills.”
“Case competitions help boost confidence, enhance resumes and open the door to different connections,” said junior Jonathan Moore, who was also on the 3rd-place team.
Walker, Moore, senior Miguel Wiesner and junior Lachlan McCure made up the 3rd-place team. Senior Blake Lewis, senior Peter Voltaire, junior Jacobo De Collibus and senior Prathik Venkatesh made up the 12th-place team.
