Rice Business Energy Case Competition

1st place teams are eligible to win a $10,000 cash prize!

Teams registrations go live at noon on September 5, 2025, and close at noon (CST) on Friday, September 19, 2025

Rice Business Energy Case Competition is a student-led case competition that welcomes passionate cleantech and energy leaders from communities across the US to discuss solutions addressing a pressing issue: the increasing energy demand in the US. We are proud to offer a platform for students and industry professionals to learn from each other and discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by decarbonization. This case competition is an opportunity for students to engage with real-world problems and provide impactful solutions that showcase critical analytical and problem-solving skills within a short period of time.

The competition is held in person at Rice University followed by networking events with industry leaders and participation at the Rice Energy Finance Summit. There are two rounds of competition, with the five selected teams invited to provide their presentation to judges at Rice University. The winning teams are announced during the Rice Energy Finance Summit.

If you have any questions regarding the case competition, please email recc@rice.edu.

Congratulations to the 2024 Winners

Dude, Where's My Carbon?

Grid Kids

Power Rangers

Alternative Fools

Clean Slate

Rules

The Rice Business Energy Case Competition will consist of 2 rounds.
- Round 1 will be conducted virtually, with teams submitting their presentation materials online on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, by noon CST. Finalists will be announced no later than Tuesday, October 21, 2025, and the top 5 scoring teams will receive invitations to compete in the second round in person at Rice University.
- Round 2 of the competition will take place on Thursday, November 13, 2025, at the Jones Graduate School of Business. It will consist of a 25-minute presentation, followed by a 15-minute Q&A session with the panel of judges.
The winners will be announced on Friday, November 14, 2025, during an award ceremony held as part of the Rice Energy & Finance Summit (REFS).
Schools can enter with teams consisting of a minimum of four and a maximum of five members. Each team member must be currently enrolled as a full-time or professional MBA student or other graduate student, with at least three of the members being currently enrolled MBA students as previously described. There are no specific requirements regarding the number of first or second-year students.
Team composition must remain unchanged after case submission, which will occur on Wednesday, October 8, 2025 by noon CST. Team members can be removed after this date, as long as a minimum of four team members are present for the live presentation portion of the competition.
Registrations will open on Friday, September 5, 2025, at noon CST via the link on the Case Competition website. Participating teams must submit the team’s name, school represented, team participants, and resumes for each participant by Friday, September 19, 2025, at noon CST.
The case will be distributed via email to each team’s main point of contact no later than 5:00 p.m. CST on Friday, September 19, 2025. Once the case is distributed, teams can prepare their case analysis and presentation materials. Presentations must be submitted in PowerPoint slide format (.PPTX). Presentations are due no later than Wednesday, October 8, 2025, 11:59 p.m. CST.
Upon receiving the case submission, each team will receive a confirmation of receipt. Once submitted, no additional changes can be made. Teams should be ready to present the original version of their submitted presentation to the judges if invited to Round 2.
While working on the case solution, participants are allowed to utilize AI and outside expert resources, just as they would in the real world. The final written materials and submitted presentation must be original content and cannot be AI-generated final work, but the use of AI and other external resources is otherwise encouraged. All sources, including expert consultation and AI output, must be cited.
If any questions arise after the case has been distributed, please submit them to the email address provided with the case prompt. The co-chairs will answer questions within 24 hours. Broader clarifications may be shared with all teams if relevant.
Teams must choose a name that does not reference their school or mascot. School logos, references, or affiliations are prohibited in presentations, posters, clothing, or verbal remarks.
- Before case submission: one team member may be replaced, provided requirements are met. If more than one member withdraws, the team will be eliminated.
- After case submission: no substitutions are allowed.
- At finals: teams may present with 4 members, but if more than one is absent, the team will be eliminated. Substitution requests must be submitted by the team captain.
Each presentation is limited to 25 minutes plus 15 minutes Q&A. Judges will provide feedback during the last 5 minutes of Q&A.
Timing will be enforced strictly. Teams should arrive 10 minutes early and ensure every member participates in the presentation.
The top 5 teams will be announced on Tuesday, October 21, 2025. These teams are responsible for their travel to Rice University for Round 2 presentations.
No later than Tuesday, November 11, 2025, finalist teams will be assigned a presentation time for Thursday, November 13, 2025. Assignments will be randomized, and schedules will be sent in advance. The first presentation is slated to begin promptly at 10:00 a.m. CST.
Round 2 presentations will occur on November 13, 2025. Results are final.
Cash awards will be announced on November 14, 2025, at the Rice Energy Finance Summit (REFS) held in the Shell Auditorium at Rice University.
The awards will be presented at the Rice Energy & Finance Summit (REFS) on November 14, 2025. All finalists and second-round judges will receive complimentary tickets.
Business professional attire is required for both the final presentations (November 13, 2025) and the awards ceremony (November 14, 2025).
- November 13, 2025: Networking reception with competitors, judges, and sponsors following the finals.
- November 14, 2025: Networking during REFS and the Rice Business Night of Networking.
International universities are welcome to participate. Travel and visa arrangements are the team's responsibility, as are tax implications for cash prize winnings.
By entering, teams agree to comply with all rules and procedures. Violations may result in disqualification and/or future bans from the competition.

Past Competitions

Topic: Building a Resilient Power Grid: Investing in Cleantech Solutions for Meeting Growing Energy
Date: November 14, 2024
Program Photos
Finalists:
- 1st Place: Dude, Where's My Carbon? (Emory University)
- 2nd Place: Grid Kids (Yale University)
- 3rd Place: Power Rangers (Rice University)
- 4th Place: Alternative Fools (University of Virginia)
- 5th Place: Clean Slate (University of Southern California)
Topic: Pathways for Industrial Decarbonization and Investment
Date: November 9-10, 2023
Program Photos
Finalists:
- Aatel Energy (Yale University)
- Alternative Fools (University of Virginia)
- Emissions Impossible (Rutgers University)
- SustainaBattle (Rice University)
- The Decarbonauts (Emory University)
Topic: Investments in Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction
Date: November 10, 2022

Program Photos

Finalists:

1st Place: The Decarbonators (Rice University)
2nd Place: Emission Impossible (Rice University)
3rd Place: Windmillionaires (Emory University)
4th Place: The Deuterium’s (University of Michigan + Babson College)
5th Place: Carbon Reducers (University of California, Berkeley)