Register Now for Round One of the DECA Virtual Business Challenge

Sep 24, 2024

Competition Begins on October 15

Registration opens soon for round one of the DECA Virtual Business Challenge (VBC) from Knowledge Matters! The VBC allows students to compete online for a chance to win scholarship prize money! The challenge is available to all current DECA high school members, and participation is free. Team registration opens at 10:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday, October 1, 2024.

The VBC is based on the Virtual Business simulations used in over one-third of high schools nationwide and consists of eight tracks:

Entrepreneurship
Personal Finance
Accounting
Hotel
Restaurant
Retailing
Fashion
Sports

PARTICIPATION

Students may compete individually or form teams of up to three to participate in Round 1, Round 2 or both rounds. The competition sim may be completed multiple times within the challenge period, with only the best total score being counted in the overall rankings.

Participants will test their knowledge and skills in a simulated game-like environment and may participate in one or more of the eight tracks. If students already have online Virtual Business accounts, they will not have to register for new accounts to participate.

REGISTRATION

This year’s challenge events will use online versions of our Virtual Business simulations. If your members already have online Virtual Business accounts, they will not have to register for new accounts. They will, however, still have to create new VBC teams.

Students may register themselves or their team beginning on October 1, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. ET. Only active DECA chapters will appear in the registration menu. To confirm your chapter’s membership status, please contact membership@deca.org.

All active chapter advisors will have access to the challenge simulation software on October 1, 2024. If you are new to DECA’s VBC, an advisor account will be created for you. If you already have an online account, please continue to use the same login information to access your account.

Important Note: Advisors, you must log in to approve teams registered under your chapter. To log in to your advisor account, please visit vb.knowledgematters.com.

RECOGNITION

The top two teams, per track, per round, per region, will be eligible to compete during the live, in-person International Career Development Conference (ICDC), providing teams meet their chartered association’s rules and regulations. Please note that only one team per chapter per track per round may qualify for ICDC. See challenge guidelines for more information on ICDC qualifications. Additionally, the top-performing team, per track, per round, in each chartered association, will receive a certificate of achievement. Student members competing at ICDC may not compete in another ICDC event.

TIMELINE AND LOCATION

The dates and details for this year’s qualifying rounds are:

Round 1 - ONLINE: October 15-24, 2024

VBC Accounting Mini-Challenges for the first qualifying round are:

October 16, 2024, 8:30 p.m. ET - October 17, 2024, 5:00 p.m. ET
October 21, 2024, 8:30 p.m. ET - October 22, 2024, 5:00 p.m. ET
October 23, 2024, 8:30 p.m. ET - October 24, 2024, 5:00 p.m. ET

Round 2 - ONLINE: January 14-24, 2025

VBC Accounting Mini-Challenges for the second qualifying round are:

January 15, 2025, 8:30 p.m. ET - January 16, 2025, 5:00 p.m. ET
January 20, 2025, 8:30 p.m. ET - January 21, 2025, 5:00 p.m. ET
January 22, 2025, 8:30 p.m. ET - January 23, 2025, 5:00 p.m. ET

Final Round - LIVE: ICDC

The final round of the DECA VBC event for qualifying teams will take place live during DECA's International Career Development Conference April 26-29, 2025 in Orlando, FL.

RESOURCES

For complete details and rules regarding the DECA VBC, please visit the Knowledge Matters website and refer to the VBC Info Packet. Have fun, and good luck to all DECA chapters! For more tips and advice, follow Knowledge Matters on Facebook and Twitter.

Advisors, learn more about Knowledge Matters Virtual Business simulations at knowledgematters.com.