ABOUT THE COMPETITION
The Business Cup Challenge (BCC) is a unique platform, designed to challenge high school students and launch them into the business world at a young age. The BCC was introduced in 2013 by Lancaster University Ghana in partnership with the Transnational Academic Group and its partnership schools and has increased in popularity since then.
This challenge is designed to provide a platform for aspiring business enthusiastic students to showcase their innovative ideas, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Through this competition, students will be encouraged to assess real-life problems, analyze critical business scenarios, develop, and implement business plans to solve those problems, and present a case to an academic and professional panel.
High school students will get the opportunity to work as part of a team, in a competitive environment and be guided by mentors.
This year the Business Cup Challenge will focus on the Internet of Things and its use in businesses.
BCC 2026 THEME AND TIMELINE
THEME: YOUTH ECONOMY
Across the globe, the future of work is being reshaped by digital entrepreneurship, creative industries, and new economic models driven by young people. In Ghana, where over 57% of the population is under the age of 25, the youth economy represents both the country’s greatest challenge and its greatest opportunity. From music, film, and fashion to agribusiness, tech, and digital content creation, young people are rewriting the rules of enterprise and value creation.
Harnessing this potential requires more than talent — it demands innovative platforms, sustainable business models, and ecosystems that provide access to skills, markets, and fair opportunities. By enabling youth-led ventures to thrive, Ghana can unlock new engines of growth while addressing unemployment and inequality.
The 2026 edition of the Business Cup Challenge focuses on the Youth Economy, inviting high school students to design solutions that reimagine how young people can create, monetize, and scale their ideas into thriving enterprises.
3 cases on the Youth Economy will be addressed. The cases will be sufficiently broad to allow for diverse and creative solutions. The responses will be judged on creativity/uniqueness, feasibility, financial viability, and the strength of the PESTEL analysis.
GUIDELINES
THE FINE PRINTS: ELIGIBILITY AND REGISTRATION
- The competition is open to all high schools in Ghana.
- There is no entry fee to participate in this competition.
- Each school can register up to three teams from grade 11.
- Each team can consist of a minimum of four to a maximum of six members.
- Each school can register a maximum of 3 teams.
- Each participating school is required to nominate a Team Supervisor to liaise with the University.
- After each team has registered individually, mentors/teachers must email [email protected] to confirm the list of students and teams from their school so they can be eligible to participate.
- Registrations close at 5.00 PM on 28 November 2025
- Cases and guidelines are released online (BCC Site) as per schedule for easy access to the Team Supervisors
- Certificates will only be issued to the teams participating in the elevator pitch / grand finale. Teams that drop out before that point will not be awarded certificates.
- All answers must be submitted to the link provided, the submission link will be active as soon as the case studies are released.
- Case studies will be rated, and feedback given online. Please refer to the marking rubric for more information about markings.
- Teams will be awarded points according to the set criteria.
CASE STUDY
CASE STUDY 1
Answers to be submitted by: 29th Jan 2026
CASE STUDY 2
Answers to be submitted by: 6th Feb 2026
FINAL CASE/GRAND FINALE
Live Presentation – 20th Feb 2026
TIMELINES
Date | Activity |
1st October - 28th November 2025 | Registration Open |
1st October - 28th November 2025 | Orientation Workshops (in person and Virtual) Accra, Kumasi & Cape Coast) |
5th – 16th January 2026 | Promotions (in-person) Accra, Kumasi & Cape Coast) |
22nd January 2026 | Case Study 1 Release |
29th January 2026 | Case Study 1 Submission |
2nd - 6th February 2026 | Case Study 1 Marking |
29th January 2026 | Case Study 2 Release |
6th February 2026 | Case Study 2 Submission |
9th -13th February 2026 | Case Study 2 Marking |
6th February 2026 | Elevator Pitch & Case Study 3 release |
20th February 2025 | Grand Finale - Case study 3 & Elevator Pitch |
Cases Study | Case Study Question Released | Answers Submitted/ Live Presentation | Marking Period | Results Released |
Case 1 | 22nd Jan 2026 | 29th Jan 2026 | 2nd - 6th Feb 2026 | 9th Feb 2026 |
Case 2 | 29th Jan 2026 | 6th Feb 2026 | 9th -13th Feb 2026 | 16th Feb 2026 |
Final Case/Grand finale | 6th Feb 2026 | Live Presentation – 20th Feb 2026 | Live Presentation – 20th Feb 2026 | Awards – 20th Feb 2026 |
LEADERBOARD
PRIZES AND AWARDS
Apart from medals and the BCC Trophy, Winners will also receive cash prizes, gadgets, and scholarships to study at Lancaster University Ghana. Teams/participants that make it to the elevator pitch and grand finale will be eligible for the participation certificate. Teams that drop out before that point will not be awarded certificates.
BCC OVER THE YEARS
2013
Winner
Faith Montessori School
2014
Winner
Roman Ridge School
2015
Winner
Wesley Girls High School
2024
Winner
International Community School, Kumasi
2025
Winner
Team Linkbridge from Pesec Legon
SPONSORS AND PARTNERS
Join us in supporting the next generation of business leaders by sponsoring the 2026 edition of the Business Cup Challenge. Your brand will have the opportunity to engage with top talent and gain visibility across a wide audience.
To sponsor the event, please email [email protected] for more information.
MEDIA PARTNERS
Citi TV/FM, Multimedia, Atlantis Radio, 3Music TV, Mx24 Ghana
