Registration for the 2021-2022 Global Competition will open in late May 2021. Please review the Competition Overview and visit the Competition Registration Page.
A. FAQ for Candidates Interested in Participating in NIBC
When does NIBC 2022-2023 registration open?
Who can register and what are the requirements?
What is the competition timeline and process?
Why was NIBC created and what are its main goals?
How do the cases enhance my classroom studies?
How can the competition help your investment banking career?
Which sponsors support the competition?
What am I expected to learn in the First Round?
What skills will I develop in the Final Round?
I’m a second year student, how can this competition help me?
I’m a first year student with limited knowledge of investment banking, will I benefit?
I’m going into fourth year and have already secured a work placement, should I participate?
Can I form a team with students who are at different schools?
My school is not listed as a participating school, can I still register?
How can I prepare for the competition if I decide to participate?
Who can I contact for more information?
B. FAQ for Teams Already Registered in NIBC
Where can my team access the Competitor Portal and training materials?
How do I add or replace team members?
How do I receive and submit the case materials?
A. FAQ for Candidates Interested in Participating in NIBC
Q: When does NIBC 2022-2023 registration open? [Back to Top]
Registration for NIBC 2022-2023 will open at the end of October. Please review the Competition Overview and visit the Competition Registration Page. Additional details on registration requirements and competition schedule are summarized below or will be provided upon registration opening.
Q: Who can register and what are the requirements? [Back to Top]
NIBC separates categories into undergraduate and graduate/MBA candidates. All members of one team must be registered as all undergraduate or all graduate students within the same university in either a full-time or part-time capacity at the time of registration (they may graduate while the competition is ongoing).
There is no cap per university and anyone can form a team without endorsement from the university. Advancement is entirely merit-based and dependent on the relative quality of the submission. One or more teams may advance from each university.
If you have recently graduated within 3 years of the current calendar year-end, you may be eligible to compete in the Professionals & Recent Graduates category when it opens in the Fall.
Please note that students can participate in the first round by registering teams of 2-4 competitors. However, if a team of 2 advances to the final round they will need to add a 3rd and 4th team member.
Q: What is the competition timeline and process? [Back to Top]
Please see the Schedule of Events for updated information. The First Round will take place online in the Fall/Winter of 2022 and the Final Round in the Spring of 2023.
Teams that submit a compliant submission in the First Round will be evaluated and the top teams will be selected to work on a live transaction scenario at the Final Round held in February/March 2023 in Vancouver, Canada.
Q: Why was NIBC created and what are its goals? [Back to Top]
The core goals of NIBC and professionals volunteering their time at the competition is to promote opportunities for aspiring business graduates to:
1) Develop Practical Skills
2) Connect with Employers
3) Gaint Insights from Industry Leaders
4) Build Unique Experiences & Networks with International Peers
NIBC was founded with the vision of giving high-performing students an opportunity to measure their skills among top international recruiting talent and be recognized by employers.
Like any high-profile contest, NIBC strives to bring out the best in aspiring competitors who undergo rigorous training and preparation in order to succeed.
Q: How do the cases enhance my classroom studies? [Back to Top]
All case submission components represent deliverables investment banks produce for clients in the same quality and format. NIBC focuses on providing competitors with all of the resources, guidance and templates available at investment banks to help train competitors to produce client-ready work with efficient turn-around times.
The First Round requires each team to submit a valuation and strategic review of a company and industry, which coverage bankers would feel comfortable taking into the first meeting with a new client.
The Final Round places finalists in the position of a deal team one day before delivering a strategic recommendation to management and shareholders on a potentially game-changing transaction.
The scenarios competitors are tasked to analyze follow current market trends and companies without academic simplifications. Case deliverables are adjudicated by investment banking professionals relative to the standards expected in the industry.
For each NIBC case, professionals build a complete solution model and strategic review first before the model template and case package is created.
Q: How can the competition help your investment banking career? [Back to Top]
NIBC can provide you with the skills training, industry connections and avenues to demonstrate your skills to create career opportunities.
Q: Which sponsors support the competition? [Back to Top]
NIBC receives support from professionals and recruiters at international investment banks and private equity firms which help subsidize a portion of the competition.
Q: What am I expected to learn in the First Round? [Back to Top]
The First Round allows competitor to develop the full skillset required from a summer intern or investment banking analyst.
Competitor Portal: Once competitors sign up, they receive access to the competitor portal which provides video tutorials, best practices, research guides, financial models, slide templates and past cases to help competitors learn as efficiently as possible. These materials represent a collection of resources a new analyst would be given at a bank.
Case & Model Template: The 100-page case package includes an in-depth explanation of what a client expects to see in a comprehensive corporate valuation and strategic review of their company.Investment banking professionals build a complete valuation model and summary analysis for the underlying company and industry for each case that is released.
While we wish every team the best of luck in making it to the Final Round, completion of the First Round case allows every competitor to acquire the skills to develop a complete valuation model and client-ready pitchbook. These skills and best practices are sure to make you a more effective professional in your investment banking career.
If your team does not advance, you will have the opportunity to attend the Final Round and work on the case simulation as conference participant (limited spots) and receive the same networking benefits.
Q: What skills will I develop if I participate in the Final Round? [Back to Top]
The Final Round offers the unique experience of working in a high-pressure live transaction environment. You will have a fully functional financial model and be required to analyze a transaction, create a pitchbook and present your recommendations to senior investment bankers in boardroom meetings, all while leading a team effort.
Leading up to the finals, finalist teams typically engage in many hours of honing their pitchbook creation, financial modeling as well as corporate finance skills, which has a lasting impact on the skill level of each competitor.
The Final Round also features keynote speakers, senior executives and investment banking and private equity professionals from several cities in North America including New York, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver to create a valuable networking environment for upcoming graduates.
Most notably, the high-caliber of competitors provides an unparalleled opportunity to build experiences and relationships with an international group of peers entering the investment banking industry all over the world.
Q: I’m a second year student looking for an investment banking internship, how can this competition help me? [Back to Top]
The competition is designed to provide value for junior level students less familiar with investment banking. NIBC sets side up to 20% of Final Round spots for teams with primarily junior level studens and pairs them against teams with similar experience to give them a better chance of advancement.
NIBC also provides all of the training resources required to succeed in the competition through its training portal, which competitors have time to master as soon as they sign up.
Q: I’m a first year student with limited knowledge of investment banking, can I benefit from competing? [Back to Top]
The competition dates were chosen in consultation with recruiters to take place in Spring before early internship recruiting commences in the US (and Canada) to allow sponsors to scout out talent ahead of their regular internship & full-time recruiting cycles.
Q: I’m going into 4th year and have already secured a work placement, should I participate? [Back to Top]
One of the main goals of NIBC is to help competitors build a global network with high-achieving students and professionals, whether they have already secured a placement or are looking to go through the recruiting cycle. NIBC also provides access to notable buy side firms for students looking to recruit for the buy side.
Q: Is it possible to team up with students who are at different schools? [Back to Top]
Unfortunately no, team members must all be registered in either undergraduate or graduate studies at the same school at the time of registration.
Q: My school is not listed as a participating school, can I still register? [Back to Top]
Yes! NIBC welcomes students from all recognised post-secondary educational institutes that are registered in undergradate or graduate programs at the time of registration.
Q: How can competitors prepare for the competition? [Back to Top]
Upon registration, each competitor will receive access to training materials such as video tutorials, past examples and templates. To prepare for the cases, we specifically suggest polishing your practical excel and powerpoint skills and looking at past pitchbooks and financial models provided.
Q: Who can I contact for more information? [Back to Top]
Please email info@nibc.ca for further inquiries.
B. FAQ for Teams Already Registered in NIBC
Q: Where can my team access the Competitor Portal and training materials? [Back to Top]
Upon registration, each team member received an email with login instructions to set up an account on the NIBC Competitor Portal at www.nibclive.com. Please look for an email sent from confirmation@nibc.ca (no-reply sender). Any updates and materials for the current competition will be delivered through the portal. Please also refer to the FAQ in the NIBC Competitor Portal after you have registered.
Q: How do I add or replace team members? [Back to Top]
Please refer to the FAQ in the NIBC Competitor Portal to submit a new team member or existing team member form.
Q: How do I receive and submit the case materials? [Back to Top]
Please refer to the FAQ in the NIBC Competitor Portal. All materials and submission instructions via dataroom will be provided through the portal.
