Interactive Brokers Collegiate Trading Olympiad

Interactive Brokers Group is the parent of market-making and specialist firm Timber Hill and broker Interactive Brokers LLC, which together handle approximately 22 percent of North American and about 19 percent of the world's listed equity options volume. IBG holds $2.5 billion in equity capital.

Interactive Brokers LLC offers direct access to stocks, options, futures, warrants, bonds and foreign exchange on over 60 market centers worldwide from a single Universal Account^®.

Interactive Brokers Group, a worldwide leader in market making and broker-dealer services, is pleased to announce our second annual IB Collegiate Trading Olympiad, where students create and implement a real-time program trading application and attempt to generate the largest profit. This unique forum allows the future leaders in technology to compete for potential jobs and up to $100,000 in prize money. Interactive Brokers is sponsoring the Olympiad to highlight the growing need for tech savvy students in the financial industry, and to draw attention to this need in academia generally and particularly among students who are making important career choices.

Each week, the names of the competition's leaders will be posted to this page for viewing by students, the media, prospective employers and other interested parties. The students whose trading technology has generated the highest profits at the end of the competition will earn the following prizes:

 

The Olympiad is open to any undergraduate or graduate student with programming experience who resides in the United States, Canada* or Mexico. Trades must be generated by computer algorithms. Students will compete using the same Interactive Brokers' Trader Workstation Application Program Interface (API) that professional traders use to create automated trading solutions. A multitude of programming languages including Java, C++, C, and Visual Basic may be utilized with our API. Student-created algorithms may trade US stocks, options, futures, Forex, or bonds as often as their programs require over the contest period and must make at least 25 trades. There is no cost to enter and participate in the Olympiad.

All applications must be completed and received by Sunday December 31, 2006 at 11:59 PM (Eastern Time) to qualify for the contest. The competition will be limited to 2,000 students, and applications will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis. Students may enter test trades into the system after their application has been accepted, which will not be counted in the competition. Trading will commence on Monday January 8, 2007 at 12:01 AM (Eastern Time) and will run for 8 weeks concluding on Friday March 2, 2007 at 11:59 PM (Eastern Time).

No live help desk support will be provided. Students should click the Student Resources button below for programming guidance. If you have further questions, you may email us at ibtradingolympiad@interactivebrokers.com or for media questions contact Lea Paulsen at 312-542-6922.

Each student wishing to compete in the Olympiad should apply below. The following steps are required to enter the Olympiad:

1. Students should complete the application below.
2. Each student should submit a trading plan (click Trading Plan Info below for details) as well as a resume and send these to ibtradingolympiad@interactivebrokers.com.
3. Interactive Brokers will review the student application and send approval by email.

All of the above steps must be completed by December 31, 2006 at 11:59 PM in order to enter the competition.

Universities and colleges who wish to advertise the IB Trading Olympiad may utilize our pre-designed package of banners and website text. Click the button below for more information.

*Quebec residents may not apply due to legal restrictions.