Universities Business Challenge 2025
The Leeds University Business School is thrilled to announce the impressive achievements of our students at this year’s Universities Business Challenge (UBC), a national competition that invites student teams from across the UK to tackle real-world business problems.
With the support of the LUBS Employability and Opportunity Team, three undergraduate teams entered the challenge. Two of these teams advanced to the semi-finals in Nottingham, where they applied their skills in a competitive and fast-paced environment. One team finished the day with a ranking between 10th and 15th place, while the other achieved an impressive 4th place, securing a spot in the final in Southampton on March 28th.
The semi-final was filled with a range of activities designed to test the students' abilities under time pressure. This year’s simulation involved running a sustainable startup in the form of a juice company, with three trading periods during which teams submitted decisions on every aspect of their new venture. Throughout the day participants were assessed on various tasks, including networking with peers from other teams and showcasing creativity and communication through a poster and presentation. The day also featured speakers discussing the impacts of AI on the job market, the importance of personal creativity, sustainability and carbon management, and sessions on developing resilience and overcoming barriers.
This year’s competition builds on past LUBS successes within both the UG and PG versions of the competition and demonstrates our commitment to providing students with opportunities to gain hands-on experience to enhance their employability and build their network.
(L-R) River Wijaya (Team Leader - Business Management with Marketing), Jenna Franks (Business Management), Songxin Zhang (Accounting and Finance), Aleks Malecki (Business Management)- congratulations on achieving fourth place and a spot in the final!
Reflecting on their experience, Sonal Kukreja who competed in the semi-final said, "It's a really great opportunity to work with new people and since it is quite a long-term competition it's likely that you become really good friends with them. The competition itself is quite challenging and requires an amalgam of skills, but it's extremely rewarding as you can see the immediate outcome of decisions you make."
We wish the team that secured 4th place every success in the final at the end of the month. We are confident they will continue to shine and put up a formidable challenge to the rest of the finalists!
(L-R) Sonal Kukreja (Accounting and Finance), Isabel Neo (Business Management), Aarez Memon (Team Leader - Economics (Industrial)), David Chechotkin (Business Economics)
In addition to this year’s UG competition, LUBS is also supporting 4 teams in the PG Global Masters version. Currently in its first round we are excited to see how our master’s students get on.
If you are interested in participating in the next iteration of the Universities Business Challenge, keep an eye on the LUBS Student Guide Employability and Opportunity pages in the new academic year.
Can’t wait that long? Why not sign up to the LUBS x Oxfam Sustainability competition – entries are now open to LUBS UG and PG students and close on Sunday 16th March.