About the pillar
An intensive 6-week in-person program in Yerevan (July 5–Aug 12, 2025) led by Pieter Verhallen, focusing on advanced business strategy, financial modeling, and trend modules like AI & sustainability, with hands-on case presentations and peer jury feedback
Dates
July 5 – August 12, 2025
Location
Yerevan (in-person)
Trainer
Pieter Verhallen (NC State)
Structure and Timing
Participants will be splitted into two groups of up to 50 people
-
Group 1 (G1)
- Saturdays (09:00–12:00)
- Mondays (18:30–21:30)
-
Group 2 (G2)
- Sundays (09:00–12:00)
- Tuesdays (18:30–21:30)
Meet the trainer
-
Pieter Verhallen Marketing professor (NC State), researcher (Netspar), and entrepreneur with expertise in consumer behavior, behavioral economics, and startups. Former affiliations include Duke, Maastricht, and IAE-Aix. Combines academic rigor with real-world experience, having founded and scaled multiple global ventures. Passionate about coaching case competition teams to global success.
Program & Agenda
Advanced Series Weekly Schedule
Week of Jul 5–8
Group 1: Sat 5, Mon 7 | Group 2: Sun 6, Tue 8Pillar 1 topics, including AI, hypothesis-driven strategy, and sustainability frameworks.
Jul 12–13
Case 1 PresentationTeam Pitch with Peer Q&A and Trainer Feedback. See full details in the Integrated Case Series section below.
Week of Jul 14–22
Group 1: Jul 14, 19, 21 | Group 2: Jul 15, 20, 22Advanced frameworks, analytical workshops, and hypothesis refinement.
Jul 26–27
Case 2 PresentationOriginal team pitch with scoring. See details in the Integrated Case Series below.
Week of Jul 28–Aug 5
Group 1: Jul 28, Aug 2, 4 | Group 2: Jul 29, Aug 3, 5Final integration, feedback loops, and presentation prep.
Aug 9–10
Case 3 PresentationFinal team presentations. See full details in the Integrated Case Series section below.
Aug 11–12
Group 1: Aug 11 | Group 2: Aug 12Reflection, celebration, and preparation for the next stage.
Integrated Case Series
Case 1
📅 Jul 12–13, 2025
Random Academy teams
10 min pitch + 10 min Q&A
Peer learning and collaboration
Case 2
📅 Jul 26–27, 2025
Original CaseKey teams
2 min pitch + 15 min Q&A + 3 min wrap
Apply learnings & knowledge transfer
Case 3
📅 Aug 9–10, 2025
Original CaseKey teams
15 min pitch + 10 min Q&A
Final integration and performance showcase
Jury & Team Dynamics
While one team presents, another serves as a peer jury—posing questions to deepen discussion. Trainer oversees the session, ensuring diverse inquiries that sharpen critical thinking and presentation skills.
Cases 2 & 3 are presented by original CaseKey teams to embed learning and simulate final competition conditions.
🏆 Competitive Component – Case 2 & 3
To elevate engagement and reward performance, Case 2 and Case 3 will incorporate a professional scoring mechanism. While the core purpose remains learning, teams will be evaluated and recognized based on consulting-grade standards.
📐 Structure
Use of SCQA, MECE logic, clarity of argument flow.
💡 Solution
Innovation, feasibility, and strategic soundness.
🎤 Presentation
Slide design, tone, storytelling, timing.
❓ Q&A
Confidence, accuracy, logic, teamwork under pressure.
🎯 How It Works
- Each team will present in both Case 2 and Case 3 rounds.
- Pieter will evaluate using a consistent rubric across the four categories above.
- Scores from both cases are aggregated to determine final rankings.
- This system balances skill building with strategic competition.
🎖️ Final Recognition
🥇 1st Place – Best Overall Team
🥈 2nd Place – Runner-up
🥉 3rd Place – Honorable Mention
Awarded during the closing session on August 12.
Advanced Series – FAQs
-
Pieter is a strategy expert affiliated with NC State, known for an interactive, high-impact teaching style focused on advanced analysis, storytelling, and creative problem-solving.
-
July 5 – August 12, 2025, in Yerevan. Sessions run twice a week:
- Group 1: Saturdays and Mondays
- Group 2: Sundays and Tuesdays
-
A mix of advanced workshops, peer feedback loops, and team case presentations. Includes deep dives into SCQA, financial modeling, sustainability, AI tools, and customer journey mapping.
-
Partially. The first presentation is with randomly assigned teams to encourage cross-learning; later cases are presented with your original CaseKey teams to reinforce knowledge transfer.
-
Not strictly required, but highly recommended. The Verhallen Series assumes familiarity with SCQA, MECE, and basic case frameworks.
-
The Verhallen Series focuses on depth, real-world trends (AI, sustainability), storytelling finesse, and high-level teamwork—ideal for students aiming for consulting or leadership roles.
-
Feedback is constant and multi-layered: peer jury feedback, coaching from Pieter, and interactive Q&A. Every team gets the chance to present, judge, and improve.
-
Yes. The program includes three structured case presentations where you pitch to your peers and Pieter in competitive formats, simulating high-pressure environments.