Inaugural edition of think-cell Global Case Competition concludes

The inaugural think-cell Global Case Competition concluded on April 24, 2025, with a live virtual final judged by senior leaders from consulting and private equity. The competition brought together a diverse set of students from around the world to tackle a high-stakes business case at the intersection of technology and private equity.

Over 240 teams from more than 150 top academic institutions applied. From undergraduate programs to MBAs, students formed teams of 3 to 4 and submitted one-slide applications showcasing their analytical and storytelling skills.

Those selected were challenged with a multi-part strategy case focused on scaling a robotic agritech startup backed by a PE investor. Along the way, they received hands-on training from think-cell experts, covering everything from slide-writing to effective chart design and data storytelling.

Meet the Winners

After weeks of preparation and two competition rounds, four standout teams were selected to present in the final round to a distinguished panel of judges containing a partner from a leading global consulting firm, a Managing Director at Cinven - a major private equity firm, and think-cell’s VP of Strategy and Corporate Development.

Out of the four finalists, the panel of judges chose Tim Simonis, Richard Löbel and Johann Geßner from HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management as the winners, for their sharp strategy, compelling data storytelling, and strong presentation skills.

Behind the scenes: What the winners said

On having the right tools:

think-cell was a game changer for the competition. It helped us build professional charts fast and communicate our ideas clearly, which was crucial under the tight deadlines.

Advice for future teams:

Find a well-balanced team, with diverse skill sets – maybe one person who’s good at communicating, one from strategy, one from finance. And once you’ve got a good solution, focus on storytelling. You really have to communicate your ideas, your solutions, properly.

Finalists

Three other remarkable teams made it to the final round of the competition. In the second place was Iris Wong, Luna Wang, Jean Lin & Victor Wang from The Wharton School. The third place was shared by two teams - Marius Butnaru, Rakibul Islam and Ayako Araki from Hitotsubashi ICS, and a cross-university team from Duke, UNC and Cambridge involving Luqman Hakim, Wira Anindyaguna, Aulia Ampri and Nita Wakan.

In addition to the winners, top regional teams were recognized for their outstanding submissions and creative thinking.

Slide showcase: How the winners told their story

Curious what great storytelling under pressure looks like?

Here are four selected slides from the winning team that helped them stand out:

What’s Next?

We’ll be back soon with details on the next edition of the think-cell Global Case Competition. Application timelines, case details, and prizes will be updated on our website.

Until then, explore the think-cell Academic Program that offers free licenses, training, and resources to help students master slide design and business storytelling.

About think-cell

Founded in Berlin in 2002, think-cell is the de facto standard for creating professional presentations in PowerPoint. With productivity tools and support for 40+ chart types, all of the top 10 global consulting firms rely on think-cell. It is the software of choice for the DAX 40 and Fortune 500 companies and is taught at 10 of the top 10 US business schools.