The CATÓLICA-LISBON team, composed of students Catarina Ganhão, Enzo Leblay, João Francisco Pinto, and Laura Blázquez from the BSc in Business Administration program, represented Portugal at the international CUBE (Corvinus Undergraduate Business Experience) competition, which took place from April 11 to 17 in Budapest, Hungary.
The competition, organized by Corvinus University of Budapest and the student-led Corvinus Case Track Community, brought together 16 teams from universities around the world, who were challenged to solve real-life business cases in a competitive and collaborative format.
Over the course of one week, participants faced intensive challenges involving strategic analysis, problem-solving, and business solution presentations, evaluated by a professional panel of judges composed of industry experts and representatives from the companies involved in the cases.
Beyond the academic aspect, the event also included workshops, cultural activities, and networking opportunities, offering students a comprehensive experience of learning, international exchange, and immersion in both Hungarian culture and the vibrant atmosphere of the city of Budapest.
After the competition, we spoke with the four representatives from CATÓLICA-LISBON to learn more about their experience, from the preparation phase to the most memorable moments in Budapest.
What motivated you to take part in CUBE 2025?
We were all motivated by the fact that this was our first time participating in an international competition, especially one that brought together teams from all continents. The opportunity to meet new people, experience different cultures, and broaden our perspectives was incredibly appealing. Additionally, we saw it as a valuable step toward our future goals - whether that be in consulting or pursuing a master’s degree. And on a lighter note, none of us had ever been to Budapest before, so the chance to explore a new city made the experience even more exciting.
Did you prepare in any particular way for the competition?
We did quite a bit of preparation before the competition. William, our colleague, spent days helping us improve our pitching and communication skills, which made a big difference. We also had some help from Professor Mário Morais, who provided detailed feedback after each presentation we gave, allowing us to make rapid improvements throughout the competition. On top of that, we practiced by working through cases from previous competitions, which helped us develop a problem-solving rhythm and understand what to expect.
What moments had the biggest impact on you during your time in Budapest?
Several moments stood out during our time in Budapest. One was when the Beirut advisor shared his philosophy on competitions - reminding us to stay humble in victory and never make excuses in defeat. Another impactful moment came from Professor Mário Morais, who emphasized the importance of falling in love with the process, not just chasing the outcome. Watching the most experienced teams present was eye-opening and inspiring. More than anything, we were struck by the shared mindset: everyone was there to learn. Winning was important, but personal growth and development were clearly the main focus for most teams.
What was the biggest challenge you faced while solving the cases?
Time management was definitely our biggest challenge. We often had to commit to a direction quickly and could not afford to keep generating ideas endlessly. Setting strict deadlines within our work sessions became essential. The cases were based on real-world problems from three main sponsors - HPE, Magyar, and HYVA - and representatives from each company were part of the jury. This gave us the rare opportunity to receive direct feedback from industry professionals. For each case, we were required to deliver a PowerPoint presentation and an executive summary. These were followed by a 10-15 minute presentation and another 10-15 minutes of Q&A with the jury, during which we had to think quickly and respond effectively. Afterward, we had feedback sessions with the jury to help us understand our strengths and areas for improvement.
What was it like working as a team under pressure and within tight deadlines?
It was definitely stressful at times, but we learned a lot about each other and how to function effectively as a team. Understanding and leveraging each other’s strengths and weaknesses helped us make the most of the time we had. We also realized how important it was to keep everyone aligned - if even one person was off track, it could throw off the whole team. Since we did not have much prior experience working together, we had to quickly figure out how each of us copes with pressure and adjust our dynamic accordingly.
What did you learn from this experience - academically, personally, and professionally?
Academically, we applied many concepts from our coursework directly to the cases. Especially, classes like Mastering Case Study Analysis, Strategy, Family Business, Applied Problem Solving, and our finance courses all came into play. The experience taught us to improvise and apply knowledge we accumulated throughout these years under pressure, even when we had not fully prepared our presentations in advance.
Personally, we gained a deeper appreciation and understand that learning should be the primary goal rather than winning. It was clear to everyone who was there to improve and grow, which created a very supportive environment. We also learned the value of building systems and refining them after each case to become more efficient.
Professionally, we improved our PowerPoint, pitching, and presentation skills significantly. We also became more mindful of our presence - maintaining eye contact, presenting ourselves formally, shaking hands with judges, and answering questions in a respectful yet thoughtful way all played an important role in our professional development.