The Corporate Cinematic Universe 2026

Where Stories Become Strategies:

What if your favourite fictional universe was actually a business?

What if Hogwarts had to compete with other universities? What if Dunder Mifflin had to survive in a digital-first world? What if Jurassic Park had to build a profitable tourism business while managing safety and customer trust?

The Corporate Cinematic Universe is an MBA case competition that combines pop culture, creativity, and business strategy. Participants will compete exclusively in teams, taking a familiar fictional universe and turning it into a real business — complete with customers, revenue streams, competition, and a growth strategy.

But there is a twist.

In the final round, teams will have to respond to an unexpected business challenge and defend their decisions in front of the Board.

Guidelines:

• Eligibility: Open to all Undergraduate and Postgraduate students across India.
• Participation: Strictly team-based. Every participant must be part of a team.
• Team Size: Each team must consist of 2–3 members.
• Mode: On campus.
• Duration: One day.
• Venue: SIMS Pune / Barcode.
• The competition will consist of multiple rounds, with teams progressing based on their performance.
• Each round will assess different managerial, analytical, strategic, interpersonal, and decision-making skills.
• Round-specific instructions, time limits, and evaluation criteria will be shared by the organizers before each round.
• All team members must report at the venue within the stipulated reporting time.
• Every team member must carry a valid college or student ID for verification.
• Students from different colleges and academic specializations can form teams of 2–3 members.
• All submissions, presentations, decisions, and performances will be made collectively by the participating team.
• Participants must follow all instructions provided by the organizing committee.

The Competition:

The competition will have two phases — one online and one offline.

Phase 1: Build the Universe | Online

Teams will be assigned a fictional universe along with a business challenge. The task is to transform that universe into a viable business while retaining its core identity.

Each team will submit a 5-slide PPT covering:

• The Story: Universe and business transformation
• The Audience: Target customers and value proposition
• The Money: Revenue model and pricing
• The Edge: Competition and USP
• The Empire: Growth and expansion strategy

Each team will also create one visual asset for its business, such as a campaign, poster, product launch, creative, or brand identity.

Team submissions will be evaluated on:

• Creativity
• Business viability
• Strategic thinking
• Understanding of the fictional universe
• Clarity of presentation

The top 8–10 teams will qualify for the final round.

Phase 2: Enter the Boardroom | Offline

Finalist teams will pitch their business to a panel of judges acting as the Board.

4 Minutes — Business Pitch

The team will present:

• Business concept
• Target customers
• Revenue model
• Competitive advantage
• Growth strategy

2 Minutes — Board Challenge

A surprise Crisis Card will change the situation.

It could involve:

• A new competitor
• Changing customer preferences
• Technological disruption
• Regulation
• An unexpected business problem

The team will collectively assess the situation and explain how it would respond.

1 Minute — Q&A

The Board will question the team and challenge its decisions.

The final round will test how effectively teams can think on their feet, adapt their strategy, collaborate under pressure, and defend their decisions.

Sample Universes:

• Hogwarts × Education: Build a commercially viable education ecosystem.
• Dunder Mifflin × B2B: Save a traditional paper business from a digital-first future.
• Jurassic Park × Tourism: Build a profitable experience while managing safety and trust.
• Barbie × Lifestyle: Turn a character brand into a modern lifestyle ecosystem.
• Squid Game × Entertainment: Design a legal, ethical, and scalable entertainment model.

The final universe list and challenges will be revealed during the competition.

Rules:

• Participation is strictly team-based.
• Each team must consist of 2–3 members.
• No individual participation is permitted.
• All participants must register and compete as part of a team.
• Teams must remain together throughout the competition unless otherwise instructed by the organizing committee.
• Participants must follow the instructions provided for each round.
• Late reporting may result in team disqualification or denial of participation in a round.
• Every team member must carry a valid student or college ID.
• Cheating, malpractice, plagiarism, unauthorized assistance, or any unfair means will result in immediate disqualification of the team.
• Teams must maintain professional conduct throughout the competition.
• Electronic devices may be restricted during specific rounds.
• The organizers reserve the right to make necessary changes to the schedule or format in case of unforeseen circumstances.
• The decision of the organizing committee and judges will be final and binding.

Why Participate?

Test your team's leadership, business acumen, strategic thinking, collaboration, and decision-making skills in a competitive environment.

Work together to transform fiction into business, showcase your team's managerial potential, compete with talented student teams, and win exciting rewards.

Rewards:

• Winner: ₹5,000 Cash Prize + E-Certificate + Recognition
• Runner Up: ₹3,000 Cash Prize + E-Certificate + Recognition
• All Finalist Teams: Certificate of Participation (E-Certificate)