Natixis Investment Managers Opens Applications for The Students Challenge

PARIS, Nov. 4, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Natixis Investment Managers has opened applications for the seventh edition of The Students Challenge, a prestigious international virtual portfolio management competition. The deadline for submissions is November 25, 2026, and the competition is open to master's students in Europe and final-year undergraduates from the rest of the world.

Launched in 2019, The Students Challenge has grown significantly, drawing more than 600 applicants for its sixth edition. This year, Natixis Investment Managers aims to select about a dozen teams to manage a virtual $100 million multi-asset portfolio from February to April 2027, under real market conditions. The competition is designed to mirror the realities of the investment management profession, focusing on three key themes: responsible investing, artificial intelligence, and private assets.

Teams of five to six members, deliberately drawn from diverse backgrounds and origins, will compete to manage the virtual portfolio. The playing field includes equities from OECD countries and sovereign bonds, with ETFs allowed up to 30% of the portfolio. Teams are also required to build a diversification strategy in private assets, complementing their allocation to listed assets. The competition provides access to professional-grade tools, including FactSet and Morningstar | Sustainalytics, to help students apply their skills in a realistic environment.

Natixis Investment Managers is supported by a network of mentors from the firm and affiliated investment managers, including Harris | Oakmark, Dorval AM, DNCA Finance, Loomis Sayles, Mirova, Ossiam, Ostrum AM, AEW, Ecofi, and VEGA Investment Solutions. These professionals guide the teams, challenge their assumptions, and impart the rigor required to build a robust portfolio.

The evaluation criteria for the competition are structured around three key themes: 1. ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance): ESG criteria carry significant weight in the scoring grid. Teams must demonstrate how these factors inform their investment decisions and align with their performance objectives. 2. Artificial Intelligence: Each team will explain where and how it used AI in its management process. The jury will assess both the command of the tool and the perspective it brings. 3. Private Assets: The exploration of unlisted assets is a key component, reflecting their growing role in investment strategies.

The competition offers more than just a challenge. The winning team will receive a €5,000 prize from Natixis IM, which will donate an equivalent amount to the charity chosen by the winning team. Finalists will also participate in a half-day event focused on their professional futures, including testimonials from Natixis IM employees, a workshop on transitioning into the workforce, a LinkedIn session, and a professional photo shoot.

Natixis Investment Managers, with a multi-affiliate approach, connects clients to the independent thinking and focused expertise of more than 15 active managers. Ranked among the world's largest asset managers with over $1.5 trillion in assets under management, the firm specializes in high-conviction active investment strategies, insurance and pension solutions, and private assets. The firm's affiliated investment management firms include AEW, DNCA Finance, Flexstone Partners, Gateway Investment Advisers, Harris | Oakmark, Investors Mutual Limited, Loomis, Sayles & Company, Mirova, Naxicap Partners, Ossiam, Ostrum Asset Management, Seventure Partners, Vauban Infrastructure Partners, Vaughan Nelson Investment Management, VEGA Investment Solutions, and WCM Investment Management.

Applications can be submitted at thestudentschallenge.im.natixis.com.