The Desautels Cup is where preparation becomes opportunity. On February 13, 2026, MBA students translated classroom frameworks into real‑world strategy, presenting their thinking to alumni who challenged them to sharpen their analysis and elevate their communication. This year’s competition centred on a live business case drawn from the company of Daniela Suarez, BCom’18, CEO and Founder of Ēvolvō Studio Inc. For Daniela Suarez, returning to Desautels as both founder and judge marked a full‑circle moment. Years earlier, she drafted early plans for her business in a Desautels classroom. This time, MBA teams debated how to scale it, refine its positioning, and strengthen its growth strategy.
Preparation began with a six‑hour window to analyze the case and build a strategy before stepping into a 15‑minute presentation followed by 20 minutes of questions from the judging panel. The timeline was intentionally compressed, forcing teams to move quickly from analysis to performance. “In the morning, our team gathered about 30 minutes before our presentation to run through everything one final time,” shared MBA student Morgan Li. “We built our content collaboratively, which meant a lot of discussion, iteration, and cross‑checking assumptions. It was fast‑paced but highly engaging.”
After the first round, teams stepped outside while judges deliberated, before returning to receive direct feedback from alumni. “We then went back in to receive feedback from two judges of the first round,” Morgan explained. “That feedback session was very valuable.” Between rounds, students connected with judges over lunch before regrouping to refine their analysis for the final presentation. The competition concluded with further feedback from a second panel of alumni and a reception where the winning team was announced.
For the team ultimately awarded the Desautels Cup, clarity of focus proved decisive. “We worked within the boundaries of the case and looked for the best way to incorporate AI into the solution,” said MBA student Oreoluwa Alabi. “We focused on depth instead of volume. We emphasized why the solution mattered, how it created value, and what trade‑offs we were consciously making.” MBA student Doyin Agbaje also pointed to the team’s diversity as a key advantage. “Our team had a strong mix of backgrounds, which gave us different perspectives when approaching the case. We also challenged ourselves to think outside the box when developing our ideas.”
What distinguishes the Desautels Cup from a traditional case competition is not only the format, but who is in the room. Judging panels spanned more than four decades of the Desautels community, bringing together alumni and leaders from across industries. “Their questions came from real operating contexts, not hypotheticals,” Oreoluwa explained. “It forced us to defend our thinking in a way that felt closer to an executive decision‑making environment. It was energizing to know that the people evaluating us had once been in our seats.” Doyin noted that presenting in front of alumni added an additional sense of responsibility. “It was humbling to see them take time out of their day to be there and offer feedback. It pushed us to bring our best.”
For Morgan, the diversity of professional experience among the judges deepened the discussion, challenging students to refine both strategy and delivery. “In the moment, it pushed us to articulate our assumptions more explicitly,” Oreoluwa said. “Afterward, it reinforced that strong analysis only creates impact when paired with clear, audience‑aware communication.” When final results were announced, the Desautels Cup was awarded to Doyin Agbaje, Rutger Boelen, Oreoluwa Alabi, and Munim Hussain. For Oreoluwa, the experience reinforced confidence in applying classroom frameworks to ambiguous, high‑stakes situations.
Beyond the outcome, the Desautels Cup highlights something fundamental about the MBA experience. Students are not asked to replicate textbook answers, but to interpret complexity, defend trade‑offs, and respond in real time to leaders who operate in those realities every day. “What people outside the room might not fully appreciate is the intensity of alignment required within the team,” Oreoluwa reflected. “Every decision carries weight when time is limited and expectations are high.” Doyin added that the compressed timeline was part of what made the experience so demanding. “The turnaround to prepare the presentation was extremely tight. That pressure forced us to work efficiently and stay aligned as a team.”
For Daniela Suarez, watching students engage rigorously with her business underscored the enduring connection between academia and entrepreneurship. Alumni return not only as judges, but as founders, mentors, and partners in shaping the next generation of leaders. The Desautels Cup lasts one day. Its impact extends much further. It strengthens the bridge between classroom and career, between student and alum, and between preparation and leadership in practice.
Morning session judges
- Stéphane Banville, EMBA’12
- Saloua Benkhouya, MBA’11
- Alexandra Cohen, MBA’20
- Philip Hassoulas, BSc’13
- Matthew Ingrassia, MBA’07
- Renee Yardley, MBA’97
- Mehrdad Anvari
Afternoon panel judges
- Sharon Stern, BA’06
- Eduardo Mandri, MBA’00
- Daniela Suarez, BCom’18
- Farshad Mirshafiei, MEng’11
MBA at Â鶹´«Ă˝ÍřŐľ Desautels
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