The Hult Business Challenge Amazon Launchpad

Written by Hult contributing blogger, Becky Hinchliffe.   If youre going to learn through experience, you need to get out of your comfort zone and connect with the real world. Over the past year, Hults undergraduate students have met and connected with  representatives from the likes of Ferrari, Spotify, Virgin, PwC, easyJet, and more who have come to campus to speak to students, recruit, share ideas, and collaborate on real-world projects. Amazon is one such company that has gotten involved with Hult students at a grass roots level, setting the challenge for the undergraduate final capstone project, the Hult Business Challenge.  While seniors at traditional schools may have spent their  last term hidden away revising, or writing essays, Hult seniors have been balancing their final year studies with an exciting business challenge set by the team at Amazon Launchpad. Amazon Launchpad is a global program, launched in 2015, that helps the best in startup talent get  to market more quickly. Since its foundation, the startup accelerator has helped more than 600 startups to launch over 1500 products globally. But with such swift growth comes a number of challenges. After coming to campus as a guest speaker, Amazon’s Head of Global Innovation, Jason Feldman, believed Hult undergraduates could help them to add value to their existing program through the Hult Business Challenge. With their highly entrepreneurial skill set, and their uniquely international profile, Hult students were ideally placed to think about the needs of Amazon Launchpads global customer base. Jason Feldman, Head of Global Innovation at Amazon said: â€Å"We are excited to be working with the entrepreneurial students from Hult on the 2017 Hult Business Challenge. Partnering with Hult will enable us to leverage the perspective and skills of their globally-minded undergraduate students to help us continue to improve the support we provide startups on Amazon Launchpad†. The Hult Business Challenge Each year Hult seniors on the undergraduate program take the knowledge they have gained over the last two to three years, and use it to solve a complex  business problem. Working in teams, students explore the pros and cons of various approaches, analyze them, and make a business case for the ones they think will really deliver. Supported by mentors and professors, students took on three key tasks for 2017: Task 1:  Identify the information startups need to make business decisions about their product and business model. Task 2:  Define how and when startups should receive this information in order to have the best opportunity to make educated decisions. Task 3:  Recommend and justify additional services that Amazon Launchpad could offer its startup clients. The learning curve Given that many of the students taking part in this years Hult Business Challenge are interested in starting their own entrepreneurial venture, or are even on their way to launching their own businesses, this was an excellent chance for them to test out their ideas, and challenge their perspective. It also gave them insight into the roadblocks they may face along the way, and how to get around them.  Sarveen Chester, an undergraduate student,  Class of 2017 said: It was interesting to have two hats on at once. We had to wear both a startup hat, and a corporate hat, balancing the needs of a new business with the interests of the giant that is Amazon. This may sound like a tough ask for students who have no experience of how a multinational corporation does things, but Hult seniors rose to the challenge. With their creative  talent for problem solving, students brought forward solutions that really made both the judging panel and their professors think.  Hult Professor, Theocharis Papadopoulos said: I have been impressed by the level of professionalism among students, and by the progress they have made  Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚  from the raw idea they first come in with, to the final end product they present to the judges. It is a transformation. The Amazon team in and judges feedback on the students’ proposals. The winning solution After several rounds of tough competition, the judges in London, Miguel Martins, Head of Amazon Launchpad UK France and Shauli Ziv, Senior Marketing Manager at Amazon, came to a final decision. In London Team EO Consultancy were selected as the winning team, whilst over in San Francisco Leila Iranmanesh and her team mates rose to the challenge. The judges felt that they came up with ideas that have genuine business applications, and could make a real difference to Amazon Launchpad users. The team not only showcased presentation, communication, and analytical skills that truly impressed, but made it clear that they understood the needs of entrepreneurs in a real-world business environment. For Amazon Launchpad, this made them the stand-out team. London Team EO Consultancy celebrate their win with Professor and team mentor, Professor Nikhilesh Sinha. â€Å"Getting to present at the Amazon headquarters was an absolute honor and an unforgettable experience. Im so proud that our team EO Consultancy won the challenge. Thank you to Professor Nik for being the best mentor, and to the rest of the team. Our hard work and the sleepless nights have all paid off.† Melina Keller, current student and EO Consultancy team member The winning team at the San Francisco campus About Amazon LaunchPad: Amazon Launchpad is a unique global program that helps startups to market, sell and deliver innovative products to millions of Amazon customers across the globe. This gives new start-ups both visibility and valuable retail experience on their way to launching their brands. Amazon does not hold equity in these brands, and maintains a normal seller relationship with all Amazon Launchpad start-ups. You can find out more about Amazon Launchpad  here. The Hult Business Challenge: The Hult Business Challenge is an annual challenge set for senior students, and takes the place of a thesis for those who choose to enter. For more information on previous challenges from companies like UBS and Unilever, or to find out more about the ways students can work with real businesses,  find out more here. If you would like to find out more about Hult’s global business programs,  download a brochure here. Becky Hinchliffe, Hult contributing blogger, is a freelance writer focused on business and university themes. She has been involved with a number of Hult and Ashridge projects, and has written about topics ranging from millennials and the world of work, to making the most of your finances in college. Make the most of what your career has to offer with a Masters in International Business from Hult. To learn more, take a look at our blog Poets Quants ranks Hult 60th Best Undergraduate Business School, or give your employability a huge boost with an MBA in international business. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to explore everything about the business world, the future, and yourself. Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021 Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021"> During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . Happy New Year, Hultians! . Happy New Year, Hultians! .