ECHCIC Investment Challenge
Test your strategy in a simulated market
A three-month competition where school teams design, run and defend an investment strategy in front of a professional judging panel.
Our mission
A professional introduction to public investing
The Challenge gives students across UK secondary schools a professionally structured introduction to investing. Teams develop and submit a strategy, implement it over a limited period, then evaluate performance, articulate lessons learned and present to a professional judging panel.
It builds the analytical, quantitative and communication skills expected in modern investment roles, and aims to shape responsible young investors who engage with markets and economic issues with clarity and sound judgement.
Run by students
2025–26 organising committee
- William Parsons
- Julian Gimenez
- David Sotkilava
- Henry Nethercot
- Taro Sakamoto
Around 200 students from 6 schools took part in 2025–26.
Format
How the competition works
Registration
- Teams of 2–4 students register through a Google Form with a 1–2 page investment strategy summary.
- Each team selects up to three equities, diversified by sector.
- The judging panel and student committee jointly select 50 teams for the live competition.
Platform & portfolio tracking
- Every selected team receives a paper portfolio mirroring its submitted strategy.
- The student committee tracks portfolios and compares team performance.
- Weekly briefings summarise market events and their portfolio impact.
Strategy adjustments
- Teams may request changes with a short written explanation, reviewed within a few days.
- Quality of adjustments matters, not frequency.
- Sudden market shifts may be introduced, so teams must stay alert by email.
Final presentations
- After the three-month trading period, all 50 portfolios are reviewed and the top 15–20 teams are selected.
- Finalists give a 5-minute presentation at Eton College covering thesis, portfolio evolution, performance drivers and key lessons.
- The judges then select the winners.
Judging panel
Professionals from leading investment firms
Anne-Christine Farstad
Global Equity Portfolio Manager, MFS Investment Management
A senior portfolio manager at MFS since 2005, responsible for final buy/sell decisions, risk management and portfolio construction in contrarian equity strategies. Her value-investing discipline gives students deep insight into long-term analysis.
Peter Davies
Fund Manager, Lansdowne Partners
A veteran fund manager at Lansdowne Partners since 2001 with decades of experience in global equities, macro-driven strategy and risk-adjusted portfolio construction, following earlier roles at Merrill Lynch / Mercury Asset Management.
Matthew Wood
Lancaster Investment Management
Experienced in fund monitoring, operations and risk control in boutique investment environments. He assesses whether teams’ strategies can be put into practice.
Awards
The Gundlach Investment Prize
Thanks to the generosity of former Etonian Henry Gundlach (Georgetown University McDonough School of Business), the 2026 prize fund is £1,000. Prizes are awarded 50% for strategy and 50% for performance. Final distribution is confirmed closer to the date.