The Student Case Competition will be hosted in Cork Ireland as part of the 36th annual IFAMA World Conference, on June 15–19, 2026, on the theme, Rooted in Resilience: Revitalizing agri-food systems for an uncertain tomorrow.

See last year's Winners here!

About the Student Case Competition

Where will the next generation of food system leaders emerge?

At IFAMA's Student Case Competition—the world's premier proving ground for tomorrow's agribusiness innovators.

For more than 20 years, this one-of-a-kind global competition has challenged undergraduate and graduate students, along with early-career professionals, to tackle real-world problems facing the food and agriculture industry. It's where raw talent transforms into industry-ready expertise, and bold ideas become breakthrough solutions.

The challenge is clear: How will we feed a growing planet? IFAMA believes the answer starts here—with students and young professionals who dare to reimagine what's possible. The Student Case Competition isn't just about testing skills; it's about igniting careers in one of the world's most vital sectors, opening doors to global networks, professional mentorship, and opportunities that extend far beyond the competition floor.

Elite teams from universities and institutions worldwide converge to compete across multiple intensive rounds, each one raising the stakes. Only the strongest survive to the final stage, where they'll present their groundbreaking solutions to an international audience of industry leaders at the Business Forum during the IFAMA 2026 World Conference in Ireland.

Eligibility and Team Guidelines

The 2026 competition accommodates three divisions: undergraduate students; graduate students; and early-career professionals (under 35 years old). Teams consist of 3-5 members.

• Undergraduate teams: Must include only undergraduates
• Graduate/Professional teams: May be mixed, but must be primarily comprised of members within that category
• Multiple teams per university: Allowed
• International teams: Individual applicants welcome—we'll help form teams of individuals across universities
• Membership requirement: All team members must hold current IFAMA membership

Competition Structure

Each team requires either an academic or industry advisor who serves as the primary contact with IFAMA. While advisors help students prepare, teams must work independently during the competition. Scoring rubrics will be provided in advance.

Preliminary Round

Teams gather for a group meeting before competition begins. Complete details and start times provided in advance.

• 4 hours to analyze the case and submit PowerPoint slides
• 1 hour break before presentations
• 30-minute presentation slot: 5 minutes setup, 15 minutes presentation, 10 minutes Q&A with judges
• All team members must have comparable speaking roles
• Presentations are public, but competing teams may not attend each other's presentations

*All non-advancing teams are encouraged to attend all other activities occurring during the Academic Symposium and Business Forum..

Semi-Final Round

The top five teams per division advance to the Semi-Final Round on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. Teams will complete one of the following:

1. Revise their Preliminary Round presentation with further guidance from Competition Chairs
2. Prepare a revised presentation based on a case addendum
   *Complete instructions will be provided closer to the competition and it is subject to change.
   

Grand Finale

The top two teams per division advance to the Grand Finale during the Business Forum on Wednesday–Thursday, June 17 - 18, 2026.

• 25-minute presentation slot: 15 minutes presentation, 10 minutes Q&A
• Winners formally recognized at the IFAMA Presidential Banquet and Awards Ceremony
• Cash awards and prizes to be announced

Timeline

26 Feb  |   Preparation Workshop: Q & A session with SCC Chairs

15 Apr   |   Deadline to submit an application for Teams and Individuals

15 May   |  Deadline to register for conference

14 Jun   |   Teams Orientation (Sunday)  arrival deadline (Saturday)

15 Jun   |   Student Case Competition Preliminary Round 1 (Monday)  

16 Jun   |   Student Case Competition – Semi Finals Round 2 (Grand Finalists announced)

17 - 18 Jun  |  Grand Finale presentations during the Business Forum

18 Jun   |   Awards presented during Presidential Banquet 

How to Register

STEP 1: Become an IFAMA Member All team members must hold current IFAMA membership ($25 USD). Join at: www.ifama.org/join-now

STEP 2: Submit Your Application

For Teams: Complete the Team Application Form and upload to: http://ifama.submittable.com/submit
(One application per team)

For Individuals: Complete the Individual Application Form to join an international team. We'll match unaffiliated applicants on a first-come, first-served basis.

STEP 3: Attend the Preparatory Workshop A recorded online workshop and Q&A session will be offered in late February 2026 (date TBA) for all participating teams, advisors, and interested applicants.

STEP 4: Register for the Conference Upon acceptance, all team members and advisors must register for the IFAMA 2026 World Conference.

• Early Bird deadline: April 26, 2026
• Team/Individual registration deadline: June 11, 2026
• Registration includes: All four days of the conference (June 15-18, 2026)

*More information will be provided in early 2026 to help teams plan a budget for the competition. Rules of the competition may change to meet needs to the sponsors

2025 Student Case Competition Co-Chairs

Why Compete?

Download the Poster

Apply for the Event

All team members must be current IFAMA members. Download and complete the team or unaffiliated individual application below.

Team Application

Unaffiliated Individual Application

After you have completed the form, use the information on the form to register online, by clicking the button below. Please register your team by April 15, 2026.

Submit Your Application Here

What Previous Sponsors Say

"As we navigate the global energy transition, the future of sustainable agriculture depends on the innovative minds we cultivate today. The IFAMA Student Case Competition demonstrates this perfectly—watching talented students tackle real-world challenges with fresh perspectives reinforces my confidence in the next generation of agribusiness leaders. At Atvos, we believe fostering this caliber of talent is essential for building a more resilient food and energy system. These students represent the transformative thinking needed to drive Brazil's leadership in the global bioenergy sector."

BRUNO SERAPIÃO, CEO, Atvos |
2025 Student Case Competition Sponsor

"It was a great pleasure for SLC Agrícola to sponsor the IFAMA 2025 Student Case Competition. The experience of seeing students and professionals at the beginning of their careers from around the world analyzing our challenges and proposing innovative solutions reinforces the importance of the connection between academia and practice in agribusiness."

AURÉLIO PAVINATO, CEO, SLC Agrícola |
2025 Student Case Competition Sponsor

JUAN JOSE BOLANOS
Student Case Competition Co-Chair
Ceiba Consulting Co., Costa Rica

LUIS UMANA TIMMA
Student Case Competition Co-Chair
REINVENTARTE, Costa Rica