Are you ready to test your skills against other Collegiate DECA members?
Registration is now open for the Fall 2026 Collegiate DECA Virtual Case Simulation Competition from Knowledge Matters! The Virtual Case Simulation Competition gives college students an opportunity to compete online for a chance to win up to $500 in scholarship prize money! The challenge is available to all college-level students who are current Collegiate DECA members; participation is free.
Registration opens on Monday, October 19, 2026, and the competition runs from November 2 to November 13, 2026.
Through Case Simulations, students apply key business concepts learned in class and during lectures in a zero-risk, game-like virtual setting. They can see the immediate impact of their decisions in a simulated environment and test strategies multiple times as they attempt to build and run a profitable business.
PARTICIPATION
The 2026 Collegiate DECA Virtual Case Simulation Competition challenges participants to test their skills at marketing and managing their own restaurant.
Within this competition simulation, participants will take on the role of a restaurant entrepreneur and are in charge of opening, setting up, marketing and operating a new restaurant. The goal is to make the restaurant as profitable as possible. Participants will be limited to opening one restaurant and they will not be able to relocate the restaurant.
The restaurant’s success will depend largely on the participant’s ability to focus on a particular target market and serve it well. Participants can retry the simulation competition multiple times as they learn how the simulation works. Only their best score will count.
REGISTRATION
This year's challenge event will be based on the Case Simulations Marketing program. If your members already have online Knowledge Matters accounts, they will not need to register for new accounts; however, they will still need to register for the competition.
Students may register themselves here beginning on October 19, 2026. Participants must be current Collegiate DECA members to participate.
All participants will have access to the challenge simulation starting on November 2, 2026. Register early to begin participating right away!
RECOGNITION
The top three-ranked members will win the following awards, sponsored by Knowledge Matters.
- 1st Place: $500
- 2nd Place: $250
- 3rd Place: $100
TIMELINE
The dates and details for this year’s qualifying round:
- Registration Opens - Monday, October 19, 2026
- Competition Begins - Monday, November 2, 2026, at 10:00 AM ET
- Competition Ends - Friday, November 13, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET
RESOURCES
For complete details and rules regarding the DECA Case Simulation Competition, please visit the Knowledge Matters website. Have fun and good luck to all Collegiate DECA chapter members! For more tips and advice, follow Knowledge Matters on Facebook and Twitter.
- Knowledge Matters Student Testimonials
- Knowledge Matters YouTube Channel
