The Kellogg-Morgan Stanley Sustainable Investing Challenge invites graduate student teams globally to devise financial strategies addressing social and environmental issues. Last year, over 300 students from 53 countries proposed innovative financial tools for positive impact, fostering connections with industry leaders, and nurturing the future of sustainable finance.
Benefits:
- Grand Prize: $10,000
- Runner Up: $5,000
- Third Place: $2,500
Requirements:
- Teams limited to four (4) members.
- All members must be enrolled in a graduate program during the prospectus submission. Undergraduates are ineligible.
- Teams can include members from different graduate schools.
- All ideas must originate from the team members.
Judging Criteria for the Kellogg-Morgan Stanley Sustainable Investing Challenge:
Creativity & Financial Innovation (25%):
- Has the team proposed an innovative investment vehicle driving both returns and impact? This could be an innovative financial structure or a known approach creatively applied to previously unaddressed social or environmental issues.
- Is the project unique and not a replication of existing ideas? What sets it apart from similar initiatives?
- Does the proposal feature a distinctive capital structure involving diverse forms of capital and institutional investors?
- Does it introduce new ways to generate returns, introduce a new asset class, or establish an innovative cash flow or value stream?
Impact & Scale (25%):
- Does the proposal offer a scalable solution capable of mobilizing substantial capital and creating significant environmental or human impact?
- Are there specific measurable metrics for impact? Is the impact tangible and sustainable?
- Does the proposed approach primarily utilize financial mechanisms to drive impact, rather than relying on supplementary charitable means?
- Has the team meticulously defined and projected the expected impact?
Feasibility (25%):
- Is the investment thesis believable and plausible?
- Are there credible sources for risk-adjusted market rate returns, even if considering a period with concessionary returns?
- Is it likely that institutional investors would respond positively and fund this initiative?
- Has the thesis been extensively researched, providing robust evidence of financial depth incorporating the overall economy?
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Evaluation Criteria:
Quality of Due Diligence & Financials (20%):
- How comprehensive and in-depth is the research conducted for the thesis?
- Are the returns and cash flow projections substantiated? Does the team exhibit robust financial reasoning and validate key financial assumptions?
- Have they identified and addressed critical investment queries regarding returns, asset quality, underwriting, and risk management (both market-based and non-market)?
- Does the team possess the requisite skills for execution? Have they defined the necessary skills within the investment team?
- Are the proposed fees and incentives rational and justifiable?
Presentation (5%):
- Was the team’s proposal clear, engaging, and succinctly presented?
- During the final event, did all team members participate either in the original presentation or the Q&A session?
Method of Application:
Visit the official webpage for more details.
Application Deadline: January 21, 2024
