Auction to Action

Auction to Action is a multi-round business simulation competition organised by the Institute of Management and Research (BVIMR), Bharati Vidyapeeth University, New Delhi. It is designed for management students and aspiring entrepreneurs who want to experience the pressure and creativity of building a brand from scratch under real budget constraints.

What it is

Auction to Action compresses the core decisions of launching a business - choosing a market, securing talent, positioning a brand, and pitching to investors - into a fast-paced, four-round contest. Teams compete as agencies, not individuals, and every rupee they spend in the early rounds shapes what they can do later.

Format and rounds

• Round 1 - Category Auction: Each team receives ₹50 lakh in virtual money and bids against other teams to acquire a business category. Categories carry different base prices, with premium categories costing more and nominal ones available cheaply, so teams must decide early whether to spend big on a strong market or conserve capital.
• Round 2 - Ambassador Auction: With whatever funds remain, teams bid for an ambassador to represent their brand. The ambassador choice has to be justified later, so this is a strategic spend rather than a simple purchase.
• Round 3 - Brand Creation and Campaign Development: Teams build the brand itself - naming it, defining a USP, and developing a segmentation, targeting and positioning (STP) strategy. They then create an advertising campaign concept, an influencer marketing plan, and supporting creative assets such as infographics, video concepts, or theatre-style performances, along with an explanation of why the chosen influencer fits the brand.
• Round 4 - Final Pitch: Each team presents its complete idea to a panel of judges, defending both the strategy and the spending decisions made in earlier rounds.

Who it is for

Management students, marketing and strategy enthusiasts, and early-stage founders who want a low-risk environment to practise brand building, budgeting, negotiation, and pitching. Team size is 3 to 4 members.

Key rules

• Registration is free for all.
• A team may bid for only one category and one ambassador.
• Each team submits a single common response as a unit.
• A participant cannot be part of more than one team.
• The decision of the organiser and judges is final.
• By registering, participants agree to be bound by the rules and any additional terms communicated during the competition.

About the organiser

BVIMR is the management institute of Bharati Vidyapeeth University, one of India's larger private university groups, with its New Delhi campus running MBA and related programmes. The institute regularly hosts business simulations, case competitions, and industry-facing events for its students and the wider student community.

Event date: 29 September 2026. Registration deadline: 25 September 2026.