Competition Format

Preliminary Round

Brackets

Each participating team will be randomly assigned to a time slot in a brackets. Please note that for the duration of the competition, each team should refer to itself only by its bracket-presentation time slot number (e.g. Team 3.1). Each team will present to a panel of judges assigned to the particular bracket in the preliminary round. Those who successfully move to the final round will present to all judges.

Judging

Judges will assess teams using the rubric in the “Preliminary Round Judging Rubric”. Scores from all judges in each bracket will be averaged to determine the final score foreach team. In each bracket, the team with the highest average score will advance to the final round. Finalists will be announced during lunch on Saturday, February 11, 2023.

Format

Preliminary round presentations will last for 30 minutes. The time will be broken down as follows:

– 15 minutes for uninterrupted presentation

– 15 minutes for intensive Q&A from judges

– 5 minutes buffer for technical difficulties

Exact presentation times will be released once all teams are assigned to a bracket.

Final Round

The teams with the highest average score in each bracket will advance to the final round. Once finalists are announced, the presentation order will be randomized.

The Final Round is open to advisors, the public, and participants who have not advanced to the Final Round. Finalists who have already presented should watch later presentations. All presentations will be recorded. Discussing the case or the presentations with any finalist before the Final Round ends is strictly forbidden. Violations of this competition rule will result in disqualification.

All judges will evaluate the finalists during the Final Round. Following the Final Round, judges will have a thirty-minute deliberation period to discuss presentations. Judges will use the same rubric as the preliminary round. The rankings will be averaged and the team with the best score will come in first place, the team with the second-best score will come in second place, and so on. The winners will be announced during the closing ceremony.