External Industry (Sponsorships)

Let's work together!

We appreciate your interest in collaborating on an activity with the BMO Financial Group Finance Research and Trading Lab at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.

Renowned for our flagship event, the Rotman International Trading Competition (RITC), which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2024, and many other competitions such as Rotman Portfolio Management Competition (RPMC), Rotman Online Trading Competition (ROTC), High School Market Simulation Challenge (HSMSC), and the Rotman Market Simulation Challenges series; we’ve established ourselves as pioneers in investment simulations. Our competitions attract top-tier students from across the globe, providing them with an immersive experience in real-time financial market dynamics. Hosted by the esteemed Rotman School of Management, consistently ranked among the world’s finest business schools, and backed by a distinguished finance faculty, we’re situated in the vibrant heart of Canada’s economic hub. As part of the University of Toronto, a leading research-intensive institution, we’re committed to fostering excellence and innovation.

Participating in such competitions offer invaluable opportunities for individuals to refine both their investment acumen and leadership prowess within a controlled yet high-stakes environment. Teams are tasked with navigating through vast data sets to extract actionable insights, honing the problem-solving skills crucial for addressing today’s most complex global business challenges. Collaboration and strategic gameplay lie at the core of these competitions, shaping a new paradigm for business thinking in an increasingly competitive landscape.

The Rotman School of Management is pleased to present the initial sponsorship proposal – an opportunity for you to partner in a high-profile initiative. Whether it be to sponsor a one day event, like the Rotman Market Simulation Challenge or an Industry Information Speaker Session, or a larger scale event, like our flagship event, the Rotman International Trading Competition, there is a sponsorship package below to meet your needs.

For more information about how to get involved, contact us at financelab@rotman.utoronto.ca.

We are happy to set up a meeting with your organization to discuss further.

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT US

THE BMO FINANCIAL GROUP FINANCE RESEARCH AND TRADING LAB

The BMO Financial Group Finance Research and Trading Lab at the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management in the University of Toronto is a state-of-the-art facility that focuses on the integration of theory and research with practice. Research databases and real-time access to global financial resources allow students to link classroom lessons to actual securities and markets. In addition, our custom-designed suite of instructional products uses interactive simulations to develop skills for making good financial decisions when faced with uncertainty about future outcomes.

ABOUT THE ROTMAN INTERNATIONAL TRADING COMPETITION (RITC)

This annual competition takes place in February of each year and brings together students and faculty from universities across the world to take part in a multi-day simulated market challenge. Students participate in various activities from trading sessions to seminars featuring industry practitioners.

At the Rotman International Trading Competition, business students have the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge about financial markets in a dynamic trading environment in the Rotman School’s BMO Financial Group Finance Research and Training Lab. This state-of-the-art facility is a fully equipped finance lab designed to promote experiential learning in the area of financial markets, risk management and investment strategies. The competition cases are implemented over the highly acclaimed Market Simulator and associated Decision Cases, a market simulation platform being used in over 50 universities and money management firms around the world.

The teams of students engage in competitive trading in multiple simulated types of markets: factor modeling, news driven analysis, and algorithmic and liquidity trading. The selected trading cases are specifically customized to make the competition as challenging as possible.

The primary goal of the competition is to give students the opportunity to apply theory to actual markets. RITC provides a forum for students to interact with each other and learn from each other’s experiences and opinions.

In the spirit of continuity and competition, the Lab hosted the Rotman International Trading Competition in its first virtual format in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic’s challenges, which was a great success with 200 students representing 45 universities from Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America, such as Harvard University, New York University, UCLA, Texas A&M University, and many more.

2024 marked the 20th anniversary of RITC with a return to the in-person event format and we aim to elevate the experience to even higher grounds going forward!

LEARNING OBJECTIVES & HIGHLIGHTS

Rotman competitions and activities hosted by the BMO Financial Group Finance Research and Trading Lab are a great learning opportunity for all parties involved. Students, academic faculty, and sponsors gain invaluable experience as a result of their involvment.

STUDENTS

Whether it is the Rotman International Trading Competition or the Rotman Portfolio Management Competition or even a one-day event like our industry conference series, students will apply finance and market related knowledge to real-life situations, have an opportunity to see how the finance industry operates, hear from some of the industry’s most respected professionals, and learn from each other in both competition and social settings.

FACULTY

When the event includes Faculty Advisors, Faculty have an opportunity to observe the event while coaching the students, and connect with peers from academic institutions all over the world.

SPONSORS

Being part of the Rotman community allows sponsors to build their brand recognition with some of the brightest students entering the financial markets industry, have a chance to meet face-to-face with students and discuss potential job opportunities.

SPONSORSHIP TIERS

Over the years, the BMO Financial Group Finance and Research Trading Lab has received incredible support from corporate partners and industry leaders for its activities and initiatives. Specifically, this support has helped the Rotman International Trading Competition grow into an internationally recognized and respected trading competition. To date, RITC is the largest competition of its kind in the world. Sponsorship offers numerous recognition opportunities.

In recognition of your generous contribution, we offer four sponsorship tiers:

BRONZE $3,500

Information booth,
Profile in post-competition report,
Recognition in press releases,
Company logo in Rotman’s event hall during competition,
Company logo on the welcome package,
Company logo recognition on website,

SILVER $7,500

Everything included in BRONZE, plus:

Present competition prize,
Naming of a Decision Case.

GOLD $15,000

Everything included in SILVER, plus:

On-campus recruiting & interviewing opportunity (virtual and in-person interviewing opportunity),
Break out room provided to facilitate any introductory meetings between students and sponsor.
Provide keynote address to 300+ international students/faculty, advisors/sponsor representatives at the Welcome and Awards Ceremony,

PLATINUM $50,000

First Right of Refusal
Additional naming of the two key events,
Recognition as Presenting Sponsor in media relations,
First chance to collect CVs of talented students with excellent academic careers,
Prime access to competitors including the top five teams,
Presentation of award and trophy to top five ranked teams,
Advance invitations to the Lab Speaker Series and other special events,