Main Takeaways

  • Binance Case Challenge Season 2.0 drew 527 team submissions from 1,581 MBA students across 25 top-tier Indian business schools, reflecting growing interest in Web3 and digital assets among India’s future business leaders.

  • The top three teams presented at Binance Blockchain Week 2025 in Dubai, bringing student-led research and market ideas to a global audience of builders, policymakers, and industry leaders.

  • This season focused on a practical adoption question for India: why equity market participation is high while participation in digital assets remains relatively low, and what solutions could help close this gap.

On December 4, 2025, Binance concluded the Grand Finale of Binance Case Challenge Season 2.0, building on our engagement with India’s academic community and our longer-term focus on supporting the next generation of Web3 talent. This year, finalists from leading Indian universities presented on the Innovation Stage at Coca-Cola Arena during Binance Blockchain Week 2025, giving students the chance to share ideas on a global platform that brought together builders, policymakers, and innovators across the industry.

A National Case Challenge Built Around a Real Adoption Question

Receiving 527 team submissions from 1,581 MBA students across 25 top-tier Indian business schools, season 2.0 saw a sharp increase in participation and depth – up from 61 teams from 10 institutions in the first season.

The central question was grounded in India’s financial landscape: Why does the country have a significantly larger base of equity investors compared to the relatively small pool of individuals participating in virtual digital assets (VDAs)? Students were asked to propose actionable ideas touching market behavior, product design, AI-driven insights, regulatory understanding, and community engagement.

To evaluate submissions at scale while maintaining rigor, the competition used a multi-stage process that combined AI-driven screening, expert assessment, virtual pitches, and jury review, eventually identifying three finalists:

  • The Misfits – SPJIMR Mumbai

  • Team Cryptoknights – IIM Bangalore

  • Team Tokken3 – IIM Lucknow

Supporting Young Talent With Global Exposure

For the three finalist teams, the case challenge continued with a trip to Dubai and a live Grand Finale at Binance Blockchain Week, where they presented their ideas to a global audience. The jury included S.B. Seker, Head of APAC at Binance, and Staci Warden, CEO of the Algorand Foundation, and teams were assessed through a seven-minute pitch and a three-minute Q&A focused on regulatory awareness, feasibility, user insight, storytelling, and strategic clarity.

The winning team, The CryptoKnights from IIM Bangalore, received USD 10,000; the First Runner-Up, Team Tokken3 from IIM Lucknow, was awarded USD 6,000; and the Second Runner-Up, The Misfits from SPJIMR Mumbai, received USD 4,000, recognizing their research, insight, and innovative thinking.

Rachel Conlan, Global Chief Marketing Officer at Binance, shared that the Case Challenge demonstrated the scale of talent emerging from India and why the country is poised to shape the industry’s next chapter. “Bringing them to Blockchain Week is intentional – it puts their ideas in front of global builders, regulators, and innovators, and that is where real learning happens. The clarity and ambition these students showed reaffirm our belief that the future of this industry will be shaped by sharp, informed thinkers who understand both innovation and responsibility.”

S.B. Seker, Head of APAC, Binance, added, “What stood out this season was the level of research and clarity in the students’ thinking. Their proposals balanced ambition with a strong understanding of India’s regulatory and economic realities. It’s encouraging to see this depth of talent, and it reinforces the importance of investing in platforms that give students both structure and global exposure. The ideas presented here offer valuable perspectives on how India could accelerate responsible digital-asset adoption in the years ahead.”

By expanding academic partnerships, scaling structured learning initiatives, and opening global platforms to students, Binance is reinforcing India’s trajectory as a key centre for emerging Web3 talent.

Final Thoughts

Season 2.0 of Binance Case Challenge showcased how India’s next generation of business leaders is increasingly engaging with blockchain and digital assets through a practical lens – adoption barriers, user trust, product design, and regulatory realities. These are the same questions the industry has to answer if Web3 is going to expand responsibly.

For us, initiatives like the Binance Case Challenge are part of our broader effort to connect education to real-world problem solving – helping build the talent base that will shape the future of digital finance.

Further Reading

  • Binance Blockchain Yatra Reaches Ahmedabad – Gujarat’s Entrepreneurial Spirit Meets Web3 Innovation

  • Naomi’s Binance Seeds Story – Learning Fast, Leading Early, Transitioning Well

  • Binance Blockchain Week Dubai 2025: Day 2 Ends With a Bang