UNM Anderson School of Management hosts second annual Global Scaling Challenge

April 20, 2022 - Anna Dykeman

Global Scaling ChallengeThe University of New Mexico Anderson School of Management is hosting its second annual Global Scaling Challenge April 21-23, 2022.

The Challenge is a live and real case competition experience where the student teams present to three small, entrepreneurial firms, all based in New Mexico, seeking to significantly scale their enterprises. The event takes place virtually over three days using the Zoom virtual platform.

This year’s three-round competition tasks participating teams and mentors with working to understand and solve complex scaling needs and challenges of this year’s firms, all of which serve the aerospace sector. Teams consist of up to four students at any postsecondary educational level and are mentored by faculty from their institutions to prepare for competition.

Student teams are vying for more than $40,000 in awards and recognition. Also, new for 2022 is the chance to win one of three virtual paid internships with the firms involved as well as a monetary prize awarded to the grand prize-winning team’s faculty mentor. Students gain exposure to high growth, cross-cultural technology firms and global universities; faculty enjoy a robust experiential competition; and participating companies receive creative input on viable growth strategies.

The three firms involved this year are Blue Space, a company working to solve tough tech problems including “weather proofing” space; Bluecom Systems and Consulting, a company that uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to facilitate space exploration; and Goodman Technologies, a firm that makes disruptive materials for extreme environments including hypersonic travel and orbiting space systems.

Challenge judges include well-known global faculty, industry experts, firm leaders, venture capitalists and thought leaders.

Teams were provided information two weeks prior to the competition, including the firms’ value propositions; Boston Analytics artificial intelligence-based workup of potential firm customers, investors and acquirers; and written material prepared by the firms. Teams will give 10-minute presentations to a judging panel and the subject firm, followed by 10-minute Q & A periods.

The three participating firms will receive innovative advice from a highly talented and diverse pool of students, faculty and mentors.

For more information or to watch Challenge live, visit https://gsc.mgt.unm.edu/