Fall in Love with Real Business Problems: Leeds MBA Innovation Showcase
This summer, organisations spanning banking, retail, social impact and innovation consulting allowed teams of MBA students to fall in love with their live business challenge.
The challenges provided by First Direct, Marks & Spencer, Catch 22, and Lambson Innovate formed the centrepiece of the MBA Capstone module Creative and Innovative Thinking and Practice, giving students the opportunity to tackle real business problems under intense time pressure. Bringing an external perspective unconstrained by internal habits and hierarchies, the Leeds MBA cohort delivered rapid, actionable ideas as part of a final Innovation Showcase.
Ten Days to Innovate
Led by Dr Sanaz Sigaroudi and co-taught by Tony Morgan, the module runs over just ten days, deliberately. Time pressure strips away overthinking and internal politics, forcing sharp, innovative responses challenging students to think creatively, work collaboratively and deliver solutions at speed.
Designed to develop the skills and mindset needed to lead innovation, the module combines practical frameworks with real-world challenges. Students are pushed beyond the classroom, building confidence as they navigate uncertainty, test ideas and transform concepts into actionable recommendations. Teams were generating usable ideas that partner organisations could take forward, tested against real stakeholder needs.
For the partner organisations, this is the real value: a team with fresh pair of eyes with no stake in existing processes, no attachment to past decisions, and no fear of challenging entrenched assumptions. Where internal teams are often confined by legacy thinking, sunk costs or "that's not how it's done here," these teams arrive with nothing to protect, only a brief to solve in 10 days.
"Being part of this year's Innovation Challenge, both as a sponsor and as a judge, was one of the most genuinely energising experiences. We handed the students a real problem, taken straight from our own business, and trusted them with it exactly as it stood - no simplifying, no safety net. What came back two weeks later, at the final showcase, was extraordinary: sharp thinking, real confidence, and an energy in the room that you simply can't manufacture. It's a powerful reminder of what happens when you give talented people a genuine challenge and get out of their way. Live business challenges like this are exactly why partnerships between industry and institutions like Leeds University Business School matter so much, they build confidence and shape the kind of leaders our industry will need next. I feel genuinely privileged to have been part of it, and I'll be championing this programme for a long time to come." Saira Khan, Head of Innovation & Partnerships, First Direct.
Seven Minutes to Showcase
The module culminated in a Dragon's Den-style showcase, where teams pitched their ideas to a panel of business leaders, industry partners and academics.
With just seven minutes to make their case, students had to demonstrate not only the strength of their ideas but also their ability to communicate, persuade and respond to questions under pressure.
“It’s a testament to the quality of the University of Leeds MBA programme and its faculty that at the conclusion of its programme, its graduating students confidently delivered outstanding proposals providing real world solutions to real world challenges across a number of industry sectors. Each proposal demonstrated lateral thinking, depth of analysis and problem solving skills combined with astute commercial awareness and implementation practicality. The University of Leeds MBA programme is setting a high bar when it comes to leadership talent development.“ Rakesh Sinha, Chair of the MBA Advisory Board.
As innovation continues to shape the future of business, experiences like these ensure Leeds MBA graduates are ready to lead. We share our sincere gratitude to our industry sponsors this year, First Direct, Marks & Spencer, Catch 22, and Lambson Innovate.
From Classroom to Global Consulting
The showcase marked more than the end of a module. It also represented the conclusion of the taught element of this full-time MBA programme.
Students and staff celebrated with a summer BBQ before the cohort embarks on one final challenge: the annual international study tour. This year, students will travel to Barcelona, where they will work on a live consultancy project with industry partners based in Spain, applying the skills, tools and confidence developed throughout this module.
