Churchill Investment Competition 2026

Churchill Investment Competition 2026 at Columbia University

The Churchill Fund is pleased to invite secondary school students across the world to compete in the 2026 Stock Pitch Competition, with final round presentations held at Columbia University.

Teams of up to 4 students will pitch an equity security they believe has the greatest potential for total shareholder return over the next 3-5 years. Submissions are evaluated by a panel of investment professionals and senior finance executives from the Churchill Fund board. Teams advancing to the final round receive written feedback and several weeks to refine their work before presenting live at Columbia University. All finalists are invited to a closing dinner with the judges.

1st place receives $5,000. 2nd place receives $2,500. 3rd place receives $1,000. 4th and 5th place receive Honorable Mention.

To enter, register your team and submit first round materials by September 30, 2026. One registration per team; designate a team captain as primary contact.

Important Dates

SEP 30

First-round submissions due

OCT 10

Top 25 teams announced

NOV 12

Final-round submissions due

NOV 14

Top 25 teams present in New York

Prize Pool

$5,000

1st Place

$2,500

2nd Place

$1,000

3rd Place

Honorable mention

4th & 5th Place

All finalist participants will be invited to a post-competition dinner with the judges.

Entry fee: $30 per team

Submission Details

First Round Submission: YouTube video link of a live presentation, plus a 10-page max PDF equity research report, plus one PDF résumé per team member. Résumés provide participant background only and are not scored.

Presentation format: Target 10 minutes and up to 15 slides, excluding title and cover slides. The video must show you presenting live, not a slideshow with narration layered on top. Your face must be visible and your voice clearly audible throughout. Screen share with your face in the corner or a standing presentation with slides behind you both work.

Investable universe: A long position, short position, call, or put on any equity security with a market capitalization of at least US $1 billion, domiciled anywhere in the world, with a 3-5 year time horizon.

Eligibility: Teams of up to 4 secondary school students. Team names should make the school identifiable. All work must use publicly available information and cite all sources. Participants may not identify themselves as agents or representatives of The Churchill Fund or Columbia University when contacting management, sell-side analysts, or third parties.

AI Policy: All use of artificial intelligence is permitted. The goal of this competition is to develop investment acumen, so complete reliance is discouraged and will be obvious to the judges.

Key Dates
September 30, 2026: First round submissions due
October 10, 2026: Top 25 announced, feedback provided to advancing teams
November 12, 2026: Final round submissions due
November 14, 2026: Final presentations at Columbia University and closing dinner

Please email info@thechurchillfund.org with any questions.

The Organizers

The Churchill Investment Competition is organized by the student leadership of The Churchill Fund, a student-run investment organization dedicated to educating the next generation of investors. This competition extends that mission beyond our own members: it gives secondary school students anywhere in the world a reason to read a filing, build a model, defend a thesis, and hear directly from professional investors about how their thinking holds up.

Henry Conway

Co-Director, CIC 2026

Trinity High School

Henry Conway is a senior from Louisville, Kentucky interested in Finance, Statistics, and Special Situations Investing. He is the founder and CEO of The Churchill Fund and a member of the Financials investment team. Previously, he interned at Ethos Investment Management on their emerging markets research team.

Dima Kasumov

Co-Director, CIC 2026

Deerfield Academy

Dima Kasumov is a senior at Deerfield Academy and currently lives in Monaco. Born in London to a multiethnic, multicultural family, and having lived across France, the United Kingdom, and the United States, Dima brings an internationally informed perspective to Churchill's investment philosophy. As Chief Investment Officer, he oversees sector operations, QRM, and final investment decisions. Last summer, he interned at the Azerbaijan Sovereign Wealth Fund on the fixed income trading floor.

Thomas Burns

Co-Director, CIC 2026

Gonzaga College High School

Thomas Burns is a senior at Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C. interested in Finance, Entrepreneurship, and Equity Ownership. He is currently co-founder and CFO of The Churchill Fund and President of Gonzaga's Young Investors Society. Previously, he interned in Finance and Accounting at Comstock Companies (Nasdaq: CHCI). In his free time, he plays soccer, runs cross country, and surfs.

Landen Blincoe

Director of Operations

Trinity High School

Landen Blincoe is a senior from Louisville, Kentucky, interested in Applied and Theoretical Math, Quantitative Finance, and Mechanical Engineering. He is the cofounder and COO of The Churchill Fund and a member of the QRM Team. Last summer, he interned at Advisory Group for Life.

Isaac Chen

Director of Technology

Deerfield Academy

Isaac Chen is a student at Deerfield Academy and a Portfolio Manager at The Churchill Fund, where he leads the technology behind the competition's registration and submission platform.

Ready to pitch your ideas to the industry's top minds?

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