Between September 30th and October 3rd, 2026, Diana Kurmantayeva, Levente Végh, Marcell Rubóczki, Réka Patrícia Horváth, and Szonja Lívia Gál represented Corvinus University of Budapest at the Rotterdam International Case Competition (RICC), hosted by Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences. The team was selected based on their outstanding performance at the Case Track courses and was advised by Zoltán Stokinger, senior lecturer at Corvinus University of Budapest. 

In its bootcamp-style format, 12 teams from 7 universities were divided into three divisions and solved cases distributed digitally on-site, before presenting their solutions in 12 minutes and defending them in a 13-minute Q&A in front of a jury of team coaches and alumni. The division winners and the best runner-up then faced each other in a shorter final round, with detailed jury feedback after every case. 

Preparation was largely team-driven and centered on a structured approach to case solving, simpler and more intuitive financial analyses, and clear storytelling under time pressure. 

“We mainly had our own workshops, solving at least one case per week, a mentoring session with Emma, and occasional talks with Prof. Stokinger. We had to build a proper team, get to know each other and develop our flow, but we also learned how to create proper slides, both in terms of content and style, for the 3- and 4-hour cases.” (Levente Végh) 

The five members had never worked together in this way before, and finding the right setup took time, but it ultimately became one of the team’s greatest strengths: “Team dynamics took the longest for us to figure out, as we initially had to learn how to work together and make the most of our individual strengths. Eventually, we found a structure that worked well: Levente took on the analyst role, while also bringing great energy and keeping the team’s spirit high throughout the process. Réka was responsible for the financial aspects of our strategies, while Diana, Marcell, and I focused on strategy development.” (Szonja Lívia Gál) 

The first case, a 4-hour challenge, centered on 100 Kellogg Lane, a Canadian entertainment complex struggling to attract university students while maintaining profitability. Rather than committing to a single strategic option among the alternatives they evaluated, the team combined them into three interconnected pillars, Optimize, Monetize, and Increase: improving operational efficiency, monetizing underused capacity through student-focused offerings, and driving demand through targeted marketing, all tied together in one clear storyline from analysis to implementation and financial impact. 

The second case, solved in just 3 hours, presented a very different challenge. TrueFirms, an Indian B2B IT talent marketplace, faced an existential threat as the growing adoption of AI eroded demand for traditional IT staffing services. The team proposed transforming the company into a hybrid human-AI workforce solutions platform, combining an AI talent marketplace with advisory services tailored to the needs of startups, SMEs, and large enterprises. 

Given the limited preparation time, the team deliberately prioritized focus and consistency over addressing every possible issue, ensuring that every recommendation contributed to the same overarching objective. In line with the competition’s learning-oriented spirit, the jury provided detailed feedback after each case, helping the team sharpen both their solutions and their delivery as the rounds progressed. 

For Marcell Rubóczki, the week carried lessons that went well beyond the cases themselves: “We all became sunshine by the end, even though we arrived in the rain and got completely soaked. It does not matter how others, for example a jury, view you; you always have to get the most out of yourself and pursue your goal. Handling different perspectives will also help you a lot when you travel, which is why adaptability is key, even in advance.” 

Besides the case rooms, the team made the most of everything the city had to offer. “Beyond the competition itself, Rotterdam was full of unforgettable experiences! Taking a water taxi in Rotterdam is an absolute must, but I’d say the late-night yapping sessions in our hotel room were just as memorable. Those little moments, when you can finally relax, laugh about everything that happened, and get to know your teammates beyond case solving, are what make these trips truly special.” (Réka Patrícia Horváth) 

Stories like this one are exactly why the Case Track community keeps selling competing to the world. A case competition compresses months of business education into a few intense hours, building skills no classroom can fully teach, alongside students from around the globe. For anyone at Corvinus wondering whether case solving is worth it, the answer from Rotterdam is a resounding yes. 

We would like to extend our congratulations to Diana, Levente, Marcell, Réka, and Szonja, and their advisor, Zoltán Stokinger, for this outstanding result! Our thanks also go to the Case Track instructors, the jury guests at the practice presentations, and the CCTC seniors and mentors who supported the team throughout their preparation. We look forward to seeing where our teams will represent Corvinus next!