‘The Students Challenge’: the sixth edition marked by the rise of artificial intelligence, a focus on private assets and a stronger international dimension
PARIS, July 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Natixis Investment Managers has wrapped up the sixth edition of its international Students Challenge competition, culminating in a final held in Paris on 22 June. This year, more than 600 students, organised into around 100 teams, entered the competition. Of the 12 teams shortlisted to compete (around 60 students), 3 advanced to the final. Held with the support of Morningstar | Sustainalytics and FactSet, this edition confirms the competition’s growing reach and highlights the emerging skill set expected of the next generation of asset management professionals, particularly around artificial intelligence and private assets.
An edition characterised by strong academic and international diversity
Launched in 2019, The Students Challenge is aimed at master’s students and final-year undergraduates from around the world. The competition’s success is confirmed year on year, with student interest remaining as strong as ever.
The three finalist teams reflect this academic and international diversity: Green Folio, comprising students from Imperial College London and King’s College London; Vanna Investment Managers, bringing together students from EDHEC, Centrale Supélec, Dauphine, NEOMA Business School and UC Berkeley; and Valens Capital, comprising students from NEOMA Business School and Grenoble Ecole de Management. Throughout the competition, each of the 12 participating teams was mentored by professionals from Natixis Investment Managers and its asset management companies, including Harris | Oakmark, Dorval AM, DNCA Finance, ecofi, Loomis Sayles, Mirova, Ossiam, Ostrum AM and VEGA Investment Solutions.
Artificial intelligence and private assets: two major developments in this year’s competition
Between February and April 2026, the participating teams managed a $100 million multi-asset virtual portfolio under real market conditions, incorporating stringent ESG constraints as well as an equity/fixed-income allocation across the OECD universe.
This sixth edition was marked by two major innovations. Firstly, the teams incorporated artificial intelligence tools throughout their process, whether for market analysis, data processing, quantitative modelling or preparing their presentations. As one of the finalist teams put it: “AI enhances the team; it doesn’t make the decisions.”
Furthermore, the finalists developed a strategy for diversifying into private assets, to complement their portfolio of listed assets, illustrating the growing importance of this asset class in investment strategies.
At the final held in Paris, the three teams presented their strategies to an international jury comprising experts from Morningstar | Sustainalytics, FactSet and Natixis Investment Managers.
Green Folio wins the 2026 edition
Following the jury’s deliberations, Green Folio won the competition, ahead of Vanna Investment Managers and Valens Capital. The jury praised its ability to fully integrate ESG criteria into a rigorous financial model, balancing performance with sustainable impact.
In keeping with the spirit of the competition, the winning team received a €5,000 prize funded by Natixis Investment Managers, which will also donate an equivalent amount to the charity of Green Folio’s choice.
Felix Hawkings, this year’s winner, said: “We are delighted to have won the final. We didn’t claim to have achieved the best financial performance. What undoubtedly set us apart was the time we devoted to analysing our mistakes and the lessons we learnt from them. For future portfolio managers, it may well have been this ability to question ourselves that caught the jury’s attention.”
Christophe Lanne, Global Chief Human Resources Officer and Global Chief Operations & Transformation Officer at Natixis Investment Managers, concluded: “The Students Challenge is much more than just a competition. It reflects our belief that diverse backgrounds, an international outlook and the ability to embrace the transformations taking place in our industry are essential for preparing the next generation of asset management professionals. By incorporating the use of artificial intelligence, ESG and unlisted assets into the assessment of projects, we are guiding students towards the challenges that will shape the finance of tomorrow.”
Finally, the day after the final, the 17 finalists took part in a half-day of dedicated workshops. The programme included talks from staff at Natixis IM and its affiliates, a workshop on preparing for the world of work, run jointly by HR and an external consultancy, a session on LinkedIn with a specialist agency, and a professional photo shoot to showcase the participants’ profiles.
Beyond the competition itself, The Students Challenge therefore serves as a genuine career springboard: several former participants have since joined Natixis Investment Managers or one of its affiliated asset management companies.
Registration for the next edition will open in autumn 2026.
About Natixis Investment Managers
Natixis Investment Managers’ multi-affiliate approach enables its clients to benefit from the independent thinking and specialised expertise of more than 15 active management companies. Ranked amongst the world’s largest asset managers1 with over $1.3 billion in assets under management2 (€1.2 billion), Natixis Investment Managers specialises in active management with strong convictions, insurance and pension solutions, and private assets. The company offers its clients a comprehensive range of strategies covering various asset classes, management styles and investment vehicles. Natixis Investment Managers works in partnership with its clients to understand their specific needs and provide them with analysis and investment solutions tailored to their long-term objectives.
Based in Paris and Boston, Natixis Investment Managers is part of Groupe BPCE, France’s second-largest banking group through the Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Epargne networks. The asset management companies affiliated with Natixis Investment Managers include AEW, DNCA Investments3 , Dorval Asset Management, Flexstone Partners, Gateway Investment Advisers, Harris | Oakmark, Investors Mutual Limited, Loomis, Sayles & Company, Mirova, Naxicap Partners, Ossiam, Ostrum Asset Management, Seventure Partners, Thematics Asset Management, Vauban Infrastructure Partners, Vaughan Nelson Investment Management, Vega Investment Solutions and WCM Investment Management. We also offer investment solutions through Natixis Investment Managers Solutions and Natixis Advisors, LLC. Not all products are available in all jurisdictions. For further information, please visit the Natixis Investment Managers website at im.natixis.com | LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/natixis-investment-managers.
Natixis Investment Managers’ distribution and services groups include Natixis Distribution, LLC, a limited-purpose brokerage firm and the distributor of various investment companies registered in the United States for which advisory services are provided by affiliates of Natixis Investment Managers, Natixis Investment Managers International (France), and their affiliated distribution and service entities in Europe and Asia.
1 The survey conducted by Investment & Pensions Europe/Top 500 Asset Managers 2024 ranked Natixis Investment Managers 19th amongst the world’s largest asset managers, based on assets under management as at 31 December 2023.
2 Assets under management (AUM) as at 31 March 2025 for affiliated entities amounted to $1,361.4 billion (equivalent to €1,260.2 billion). Assets under management, as reported, may include notional assets, managed assets, gross assets, assets of affiliated entities held by minority shareholders and other types of non-regulatory assets under management managed or administered by affiliates of Natixis Investment Managers.
3 A brand of DNCA Finance
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