FTxBocconi is Back, a Challenge to Redesign the Business World

APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN FOR THE BOCCONI AND FINANCIAL TIMES INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND YOUNG PROFESSIONALS TO STIMULATE NEW IDEAS ON POLICY, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, FINANCE AND MARKETING. THE 100 SELECTED YOUNG TALENTS WILL COMPETE IN LONDON IN FEBRUARY

Since the first edition held last February the world has been drastically upturned by the Covid19 tsunami and to face today's new challenges the second edition of the FTxBocconi Talent Challenge, organized by Bocconi University and Financial Times, will thus focus on how to reshape the business world. 100 students and young professionals from all over the world will be selected to challenge themselves in finding new strategies and business models in a competition that will take place at FT's headquarters in London from 6 to 8 February 2021.

Participants will compete in teams to address today's new challenges, devising solutions in the areas of Policy, Entrepreneurship, Finance and Marketing - with an indication to leverage on human capital, sustainability, diversity and inclusion in designing their innovative ideas. During the three days, participants will be involved in masterclasses and talks held by Bocconi professors and top alumni and FT managers and journalists.

"In this period of drastic transformation of our society, it is essential to stimulate and include young people in the design of new solutions and approaches. And we want to encourage these young talents to give value to sustainability, diversity and inclusion in their projects - values that are also fundamental for our University, and that thanks to digital technology can now be even more enhanced," comments Gianmario Verona, Rector of Bocconi University. "Having the opportunity to confront and debate with researchers and professionals from two realities such as Bocconi and Financial Times and to discuss with other young talents how to propose innovative ideas close to one's own generation is a formative and enriching experience".

"During such an unprecedented period, organizations such as the Financial Times and Bocconi University show how important it is to be adaptable to change and challenge. We both continue to thrive through the Covid-19 crisis because we know how to handle disruption - both the media and education industries face change every day,” adds Jon Slade, Chief Commercial Officer, Financial Times. “The FTxBocconi Challenge is an opportunity for talented young people to find new ways to overcome challenges, be creative and find new business solutions to three vital pillars of our present and future society: sustainability, diversity and inclusion. The Challenge will make participants listeners and doers, learning how not just to build an idea - but implement it in a real world context: our post-pandemic economies and societies."

The members of the finalist teams will also have the opportunity to develop their idea by participating in the 2021 call of Bocconi for Innovation (B4i), the University's accelerator.

The first edition of the talent challenge saw the participation of 100 young people from 40 countries around the world and the participation of speakers such as Nobel Prize winner Michael Spence and Vittorio Colao. The challenge saw the triumph of three teams that proposed an app to educate young people to save money, an online service to help young people to invest and a new way to study customers' tastes.

University students and professionals in the early stages of their careers are invited to apply at FTxBocconi2021 by November 24



 
 

by Tomaso Eridani