IDEAcorps MBA Consulting Challenge
Objective
An immersive, real-world case competition in which MBA teams apply consulting skills to help small and early-stage New Orleans businesses develop a robust scale-up strategy.
Description
Overview
The IDEAcorps MBA Consulting Challenge is an immersive, real-world consulting competition (not a hypothetical case study) in which graduate business students partner with active New Orleans-area startups and small businesses to solve real scaling challenges.
Who Can Participate
- Open to MBA teams from universities across the country
- Team members must be enrolled in a full-time, part-time, or executive MBA program at a participating university
- No more than 5 members per team
- Up to 12 teams accepted, each paired with a founder/company
Format
- Teams work remotely with their assigned company in early 2026 to understand the business, identify scaling opportunities, and build a SCALE-UP plan
- Asynchronous instruction is provided on consulting techniques, minority business challenges, and scaling best practices
- In March, teams travel to New Orleans for an innovation-center tour, engagement with New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW), and a final live pitch competition
Notable Details
- Presented by Dr. Bobby and Lori Kent Savoie
- Hosted by Loyola University New Orleans' Center for Entrepreneurship and Community Development
- A Lead Partner Event of New Orleans Entrepreneur Week
Final pitch competition, New Orleans
December 05, 2025
Private
Business School
Entrepreneurship
Finance
innovation
Leadership
Management
gsmccabe@loyno.edu (Sam McCabe, Center Director); fmwells@loyno.edu (Farah Wells, Program Coordinator)
Loyola University, New Orleans
Loyola University New Orleans, Center for Entrepreneurship and Community Development (CECD), Dr. Bobby and Lori Kent Savoie (presenting sponsors)
Total prize pool: $30,000 (awarded across MBA teams and startup clients at the final pitch competition)