“We Arrived Prepared and Not Empty-Headed”: Corvinus Students Shine at BMCC in Mexico
Our undergraduate students participated in a prestigious international case-competition in Mexico, winning the six-hour divisional round and getting second place in the 24-hour case divisional round.
A vibrant city, a uniquely Mexican case focus, and a team whose chemistry became their secret weapon; this was the formula behind this year’s Corvinus success at the Business Management Case Competition (BMCC) in Guadalajara, Mexico, held between 26–31 October 2025.
Representing Corvinus University of Budapest, the undergraduate team of Anna Norina Steltzer, Dóra Röszler, Gergő Kelemen, and Levente Kiss delivered an excellent performance: 1st place in the first divisional round (6-hour case) and 2nd place in the second divisional round (24-hour case).
They attended the competition thanks to the Case Track talent programme, designed to prepare students for elite international case competitions and the Corvinus Case Track Community (CCTC), a student association established to enable student’s professional development. The team got selected by their advisor Kozma Miklós Attila PhD, after successfully completing the Cases on International Business Strategy (CIBS) and Cases on Business Strategy courses.
BMCC is known for being culturally unique and this year was no exception. The cases focused entirely on Mexican companies and Mexican identity, such as Artex and Tajín, both iconic national brands. Tajín is a Mexican food company best known for producing and marketing its iconic chili-lime-salt seasoning blends, while Artex is an independent music and art festival in Mexico that brings together live performances, visual art, food and local artisan markets.
“It was essential to include Mexican pride, heritage, and national feeling in every solution,” said Dóra Röszler, “From the judges’ feedback, this was one of the strongest parts of our work.”
The competition format included a 6-hour live case and a 24-hour case. The planned 3-hour pitch was cancelled due to citywide riots, an unexpected twist that added to the unforgettable nature of the week.
The team prepared intensely throughout the summer, solving multiple 12- and 24-hour cases. Ironically, they practiced only one 6-hour case and then went on to win the 6-hour round in Mexico.
As Gergő Kelemen explained:
“We emphasized learning what messages resonate with a Mexican jury: simple English, positive tone, no sensitive topics. Our goal was always clarity and likeability.”
Their advisor, Dr. Kozma Miklós, supported them through workshops focusing on communication, Q&A strategy and solution structuring; essential elements of the Case Track methodology. But what truly set them apart was the team dynamic.
“A slide had inputs from at least two people – always,” – Dóra Röszler recalled – “I’ve never experienced cooperation like this. We became one unit of advisory, not four consulting clerks.”
Although they had natural strengths: Dóra Röszler in finance, Gergő Kelement in analysis, Anna Steltzer and Levente Kiss in implementation. The team emphasized shared strategy creation before dividing tasks.
„We preferred to do things together, especially about the strategy. We discussed together the case and defined critical analysis points.” – Anna Steltzer added.
Both cases challenged teams to strengthen the case companies’ roles as “Mexican hero brand”. Corvinus students responded with clear consumer personas (with names and visuals), culturally aligned product concepts and strategic messaging rooted in national pride. Judges praised their clarity, storytelling, and unified Q&A performance.
“We answered as a team. The extroverts started, the experts finished,” – Dóra Röszler said – “It made us look like one cohesive advisory unit.”
The team not only learned professional lessons but also navigated an intense cultural experience.
“The food was amazing, but after days of corn I had enough,” Gergő Kelemen joked. “Mexico isn’t dangerous – you just can’t afford to be stupid.”
We would like to congratulate Dóri, Gergő, Anna and Levi on their exceptional achievement, thank the CIBS and CBS course instructors and seniors of the Corvinus Case Track Community and especially extends its gratitude to their advisor, Kozma Miklós Attila PhD., for his dedicated support in the team’s preparation.
Their performance demonstrates the strength of the Case Track programme, the growing international reputation of Corvinus case-solving teams, as well as the growth of the Corvinus Case Track Community (CCTC), the university’s primary community of strategy and case solving enthusiasts.