If I can help water that little seed that turns into a sapling, that turns into a tree, if I could be part of that process, that makes my day." – Coach Charlie Janthur
The prestigious week-long 2026 NIBS Worldwide Case Competition hosted this year at the University of Guelph-Humber (U of GH), was the experience of a lifetime for all who attended – including Guelph-Humber’s student volunteers and a team of four competitors – Jan Eros Intal, Mathew Davies, Maya Ostrom, and Parth Kapoor – from the Business Administration program.
Not only did the students compete on the world stage with international opponents, but they expressed that they pushed themselves in ways beyond imagination when preparing to compete, and during the competition, emerging stronger and sharper than before the experience. U of GH competed in the finals and placed third overall out of 16 teams, which is a feat that the team’s coach, Guelph-Humber Business instructor Charlie Janthur, is incredibly proud of.
“An experience like the NIBS [finals] is a once in a lifetime thing,” third-year Business student Jan Eros Intal said (NIBS’ rules bar individual finalists from re-entering future competitions if they’ve made it to that stage). “For everyone who was involved, from watching the presentations to volunteering to helping organize the event, I feel like everyone grew in a way that they didn't anticipate beforehand.”
The competition heats up
The competition, which took place at U of GH, comprised of three initial rounds, plus the semi-finals and the finals. However, the week wasn’t all preparatory team meetings and presentations; the NIBS group had opportunities to professionally network and attend social events together, forging connections with people from around the world (including from the U.S., UK, Netherlands, China, and more).
Guelph-Humber competitors Parth Kapoor and Mathew Davies, who have previously competed with ACE U of GH and serve as co-presidents, said the NIBS format is more complex than ACE’s. With ACE, participants typically get one page outlining the case (a scenario to solve) and have around 15 minutes to think about it/deliberate and then have ten minutes to present their solution. But with NIBS, the cases are more detailed, so participants have three to four hours to review it, then about 15 to 20 minutes to present their solution. Because of the challenge that comes with NIBS, each U of GH team member wanted to join the team to push themselves.
“I wanted more opportunity to grow, which is why I challenged myself to go into longer case competitions,” Kapoor said. Davies held a similar sentiment, “Being able to [compete] on a global stage was really exciting… Case competitions have shown me, not just the opportunities that lie within competitions themselves, but the opportunity to grow as a person, meet new people, have new experiences, and learn from others.”
Guelph-Humber on the world stage
The U of GH competitors said they appreciated networking with people from around the world. This taught them about cultures and social norms that they were unfamiliar with – getting a global perspective without having to leave the country. Intal, who grew up in Dubai, said this experience also taught the team new ways of approaching problems presented in case competitions from fresh perspectives.
Additionally, Kapoor shared that representing himself and the University by carrying himself professionally on the world stage was an important lesson and something he felt proud of. He went from feeling nervous to building valuable relationships over the week.
Mentorship brings forth success
Furthermore, the Guelph-Humber team was formed in fall 2025, whereas some visiting schools had teams that were brought together 18 months ago. To have the high level of synergy the U of GH team had in a much shorter amount of time is a testament to the quality of students the University produces, but above all, their hard work and dedication to the experience, Coach Janthur said.
Ahead of NIBS, the team practiced using Janthur’s “high altitude training” method. This involved them solving cases more challenging than what they’d expect to see during NIBS so the team felt prepared to face anything. While Janthur – who has been supporting NIBS teams for a decade – said he “just fosters” the brilliance these students already have, the group cited him as a major influence and mentor for unlocking their potential.
“If I can help water that little seed that turns into a sapling, that turns into a tree, if I could be part of that process, that makes my day,” Janthur said about his role as coach.
Kapoor noted that Janthur provided encouragement and volunteered countless hours of his time to ensure the team felt supported. Sometimes, training would last four to six hours, which often meant ending at 11 p.m. – but he always stuck around for the students. Kapoor called his coach a “backbone” of the team, adding that “he made time for us no matter the time of the day.”
“Through Charlie's lessons, we trusted and worked so well together. I couldn’t be more proud of the three people who I went to NIBS with,” Davies said.
Basking in achievement
The Guelph-Humber competitors walked away from the competition with shiny medals, but more important, lessons that will serve them in the workforce throughout their careers. From networking, to public speaking, to analytical skills, to teamwork, to remaining calm under pressure, all four students felt a sense of accomplishment and became sharper leaders.
“Everyone stepped up to the plate and led in their own capacity at different times with regards to whatever we had to take on,” Davies said. “Typically, when you think about leadership, you think about one [person], but I think everyone led in their own way and that translated to success.”
To learn more about case competitions at the University of Guelph-Humber, explore these stories:
- Alum Agam Sharma’s case competition success story takes him from winning on the world stage to giving back to U of GH
- From competitor to coach to judge, U of GH Business alum Daniel Bielak inspires future case competition champs
- “Nothing better than this”: How Guelph-Humber students are ACE-ing case competitions
