On Friday, March 5th, I had the opportunity to participate in the Canadian Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC). With hard work and preparation, my team was able to place first overall! This competition was an enjoyable experience where I was able to gain insights into the venture capital space as my team attended pitches, led due diligence sessions, and pitched a deal.
It had been four years since I last competed in a case competition, so naturally, I was hesitant when I was invited to join the School of Accounting and Finance’s (SAF) graduate team for the Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC). During the competition, we played the role of Venture Capitalists for a day, assessed start-ups, and presented and delivered an investment strategy in front of a panel of judges.
Lessons gained from competing on a national stage
Having participated in numerous entrepreneurship programs before university, the dynamics surrounding growing companies have always fascinated me. After getting involved with the University of Waterloo’s Student Venture Fund (SVF) during my second year in the Accounting and Financial Management (AFM) program, I combined my background in operations with a newly found interest: early-stage investing.
Experiences from an unusual Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC)
Earlier this month, I was fortunate enough to participate in the Canadian Venture Capital Investment Competition as part of the University of Waterloo’s undergraduate team. While the event is usually held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, it was moved to a virtual setting because of the global pandemic. This presented a new set of challenges for us to face and overcome.
Participating in this competition was an opportunity to represent the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) and the University of Waterloo on a global stage, learn from the best, and become an expert on one special company. While we faced our fair share of ups and downs, there were a few aspects that were key to our success.
Anna, Kyle, and Sabrina met in their first year of university as Associates in the ACE Consulting Group. Their collaboration started three years ago working on delivering consulting engagements to start-up clients, and later on leading the ACE team. The three of them worked well together, had a passion for strategy, and enjoyed the thrill of case competitions. After a successful run at the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) Strategy Case Competition, they decided to collaborate again at the International Collegiate Business Competition (I.C.B.C.) hosted by Queen’s University.
In the first week of January 2021, we, Michael K., Roberto B., and Isaac D. competed at the 14th annual Battle on Bay (BoB) case competition organized by the Ryerson University Finance Society (RUFS). The BoB is a three-day event where students from more than 10 schools across Canada work in teams of three to four members and compete by developing a stock pitch and completing a crisis case.
Now, first things first, as a student in the Accounting and Financial Management (AFM) program at the University of Waterloo, my knowledge of coding is pretty limited. I had the misconception that only students who knew how to code or “hack” could participate in hackathons. For anyone else with similar notions, let me tell you that you are entirely incorrect!
This year, after completing all of my co-op terms, I decided to join the UWaterloo team for the McGill International Portfolio Competition (MIPC). While the prize money was a good motivator, I figured I could also come out of this competition gaining more skills at my disposal.
There aren’t many opportunities in life where you will have the privilege to compete on an international stage, and even fewer chances to do so as a student representing your university. So, when I was invited by the School of Accounting and Finance (SAF) to represent the University of Waterloo at the 2020 McGill International Portfolio Challenge (MIPC) alongside three of my peers, I knew this was an opportunity I could not pass up.