By Sebastian Narvaez Gonzalez
Friday, March 15th, the IE Investment club held the final round of their prestigious Stock Pitch Competition. Four teams participated, pitching a diverse range of stocks from online casinos to food companies and even organ transfers. High profile judges from Santander, Caixa and IE’s very own EDEN Fund were tasked with the difficult decision of choosing the best pitch. All four teams performed incredibly, showing a profound understanding of complex tools used by analysts around the world.
Over one hundred attendees paid close attention to each pitch, starting with “Evolution,” an innovative Casino Tech company. Although different from the original pitch they had proposed, both presenters Noel Srimac Gajic and Arvid Friberg showed true passion for this stock, explaining the future of their market in an easy to understand and transparent manner. They carefully benchmarked Evolution against competitors, and also analyzed trends in the overall online gaming market. Ultimately, their expertise and knowledge secured their first place position, earning them part of the 1000 euro prize pot, as well as a fast-track to joining the EDEN Fund.
The second stock pitch was US Foods, an American food distributor with over 70 locations. Led by Vittorio Pereira Fialdini and Carlo Pereira Fialdini, their eloquent pitch established the recovery of the food sector following Covid, leaving US Foods in a great position to expand their 10% market share. With an optimistic stock price growth projection, the judges were convinced enough to grant this team second place.
The penultimate stock also focused on food, with the company Darling Ingredients. This innovative business produces ingredients for “3 Fs,” Food, Feed and Fuel. With this combination of production, they are able to meet important ESG goals, and promote the circular economy model. The presenters Daniel Yebra and Manuel Mena emphasized the sustainable aspect of their stock, establishing the importance of Darling’s environmental impact. Although they placed fourth, the quality of their pitch was highly commendable.
Closing the competition was Xvivo Perfusion, a unique medical technology company specialising in organ transplants. They explained the problem of excess demand in the industry, as there are not enough organs for the people that need them. Recognising this problem, Xvivo aims to provide cutting edge technologies for carrying out transplants and storing organs. Pitched by Mischa Spasic and Paul Ruiz Alliata, they proved their expertise by creating a detailed model to simulate different scenarios, earning them third place overall.
All four teams were winners in the end, as they were able to show their knowledge and potential to the prestigious panel of judges, consisting of Enrique Piriz from Santander, Guillermo Portables from Caixa, EDEN Fund founder Santiago Quintana, as well as Felix Gomez-Guillamon and Adrian Hernandez, both analysts at the EDEN Fund.
Attendees had the opportunity to engage with both judges and participants after the event, fostering valuable networking opportunities. The ambiance was further elevated by the musical talents of the IE Music Club, ensuring an unforgettable experience for all.
The stock pitch is held every semester by the Investment Club. Feeling inspired? Make sure to join the competition next time it’s held, and prove your investment prowess!
Featured image courtesy of Sebastian Narvaez Gonzalez
