International Economics Olympiad

What International Economics Olympiad does

The International Economics Olympiad (IEO) is a Switzerland-registered non-profit association founded in 2018 and headquartered in Bern, operating the premier annual international competition for high school students in economics, finance, and business. Students participate through a structured national-competition model: partner organizations in each country run local selection rounds, and top contestants advance to the annual international IEO event, hosted in a different country each year (Moscow 2018, Saint Petersburg 2019, Astana 2020, Riga 2021, online/China 2022, Volos 2023, Hong Kong 2024, Baku 2025, with 2026 upcoming). The core competition comprises three rounds — Finance and Economics multiple choice, Finance and Economics open questions, and a Business case presentation before judges — and has historically engaged 74 countries with 52 countries currently active under multi-year 3-year Agreements.

The IEO complements its annual competition with the IEOx project platform, which hosts EssayChallenge and WinterChallenge programs, plus IEO OpenTrack (launched 2020) that opens participation to the general public beyond the national-selection pathway. Technology footprint is intentionally minimal: the organization does not operate a technology platform, relying instead on multiple web properties (ieo-official.org, year-specific sites, ieox.ieo-official.org) for information dissemination, registration, and community engagement. The organization is supported by world-leading economists including Nobel laureates Eric Maskin (Harvard, 2007) and Daron Acemoglu (MIT, 2024), plus Harvard professors Gregory Mankiw and Gita Gopinath (IMF Deputy Managing Director 2022-2025).

The IEO is funded entirely through sponsorships and partnerships rather than participant fees, with all student participation free of charge. It is governed by a multi-national Executive Board (15 members from 14 countries), International Board (60 members from 52 countries), Advisory Board, Problem Committee, Steering Committee, and Ambassadors. The organization has grown from 13 participating countries at founding to a community of over 600,000 annual national-competition participants and 54 newly established national selections, making it the leading global platform for identifying and nurturing young talent in economics and finance.

Name

International Economics Olympiad

Legal name

International Economics Olympiad (IEO) Association

Website

https://ecolymp.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The International Economics Olympiad is a Swiss-registered non-profit association running the premier annual international competition for high school students in economics, finance, and business, engaging over 600,000 students annually across 74 historically participating countries and supported by Nobel laureates.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Competition Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Speech & Debate Judging, Tabulation & Tournament Services (EDAMAOAO)

Keywords

• Academic olympiad competition
• Economics education program
• High school competition
• Finance business olympiad
• International student contest

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Sponsorship and Partnership: The IEO operates primarily through sponsorship, as participation is free of charge for students. The organization has a dedicated sponsors page (ieo-official.org/sponsors) and a fundraising policy, indicating revenue is generated through corporate and institutional sponsorships rather than participant fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The International Economics Olympiad (IEO) operates an annual international academic competition for high school students in the areas of Economics, Finance, and Business, consisting of three competition rounds: a 40-question multiple-choice paper, an open-question paper, and a Business case presentation before judges. Participation is free of charge for students, and the offering is extended year-round through the IEOx project-based platform, which hosts additional programs such as IEO OpenTrack (open to the general public), EssayChallenge, and WinterChallenge.

Product overview

The International Economics Olympiad operates as a single core product—the annual IEO competition—complemented by the IEOx project-based platform. The core IEO consists of three competition parts: Finance & Economics MCQ (40 multiple-choice questions), Finance & Economics OQ (5 open questions), and Business case (presentation before judges). The IEOx platform extends the offering with separate programs including EssayChallenge and WinterChallenge, while OpenTrack provides a public-facing track introduced in 2020. All programs are free to participate in and serve high school students worldwide interested in Economics, Business, and Finance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IEOx: A project-based platform aimed at strengthening the IEO Community as well as improving the IEO and introducing new projects, including IEO OpenTrack available to the general public
• IEO OpenTrack
• EssayChallenge
• WinterChallenge

Products and services

• International Economics Olympiad (IEO) Annual international competition for high school students under the age of 20 in the fields of Economics, Finance, and Business. Consists of three rounds: Finance & Economics multiple-choice paper (40 questions), Finance & Economics open-question paper (5 questions), and a Business case presentation before judges. Participation is free of charge and students must be nominated through a national selection competition.
• IEOx Platform Project-based platform aimed at strengthening the IEO community and introducing new projects outside the main annual IEO event. Hosts sub-programs including EssayChallenge, WinterChallenge, and IEO OpenTrack.
• IEO OpenTrack Open public-facing track of the IEO, available to the general public beyond the national-competition pathway, operated under the IEOx platform.
• EssayChallenge Essay-based competition program hosted within the IEOx platform, offering IEO participants and community members additional competition opportunities outside the main annual event.
• WinterChallenge Winter-season competition program hosted within the IEOx platform, offering IEO participants and community members additional competition opportunities outside the main annual event.

Quantifiable outcome

• 74 countries have participated in IEO across its history
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

61 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and major.

• AlbaniacoreOthers · 1 January 2026Albania is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• ArmeniacoreOthers · 1 January 2026Armenia is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• AzerbaijancoreOthers · 1 January 2026Azerbaijan is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO. Hosted IEO 2025 in Baku.
• BangladeshcoreOthers · 1 January 2026Bangladesh is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• BrazilcoreOthers · 1 January 2026Brazil is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• BulgariacoreOthers · 1 January 2026Bulgaria is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• CanadacoreOthers · 1 January 2026Canada is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• ChinacoreOthers · 1 January 2026China is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO. Hosted IEO 2024 in Hong Kong.
• China, Hong Kong (China)coreOthers · 1 January 2026Hong Kong, China is one of the countries/territories with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions.
• Chinese TaipeicoreOthers · 1 January 2026Chinese Taipei is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• ColombiacoreOthers · 1 January 2026Colombia is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• CroatiacoreOthers · 1 January 2026Croatia is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• CypruscoreOthers · 1 January 2026Cyprus is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• EcuadorcoreOthers · 1 January 2026Ecuador is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• GeorgiacoreOthers · 1 January 2026Georgia is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• GhanacoreOthers · 1 January 2026Ghana is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• GreececoreOthers · 1 January 2026Greece is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO. Hosted IEO 2023 in Volos.
• IndonesiacoreOthers · 1 January 2026Indonesia is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• IrancoreOthers · 1 January 2026Iran is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• JapancoreOthers · 1 January 2026Japan is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• KazakhstancoreOthers · 1 January 2026Kazakhstan is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO. Hosted IEO 2020 in Astana.
• KenyacoreOthers · 1 January 2026Kenya is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• Macau (China)coreOthers · 1 January 2026Macau, China is one of the territories with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions.
• MalaysiacoreOthers · 1 January 2026Malaysia is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• MexicocoreOthers · 1 January 2026Mexico is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• MongoliacoreOthers · 1 January 2026Mongolia is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• NepalcoreOthers · 1 January 2026Nepal is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• NigeriacoreOthers · 1 January 2026Nigeria is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• North MacedoniacoreOthers · 1 January 2026North Macedonia is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• PakistancoreOthers · 1 January 2026Pakistan is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• Papua New GuineacoreOthers · 1 January 2026Papua New Guinea is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• PerucoreOthers · 1 January 2026Peru is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• PhilippinescoreOthers · 1 January 2026Philippines is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• PortugalcoreOthers · 1 January 2026Portugal is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• Republic of KoreacoreOthers · 1 January 2026Republic of Korea (South Korea) is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• RomaniacoreOthers · 1 January 2026Romania is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• RussiacoreOthers · 1 January 2026Russia is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO. Hosted IEO 2018 in Moscow and IEO 2019 in Saint Petersburg.
• RwandacoreOthers · 1 January 2026Rwanda is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• SingaporecoreOthers · 1 January 2026Singapore is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• SloveniacoreOthers · 1 January 2026Slovenia is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• SpaincoreOthers · 1 January 2026Spain is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• Sri LankacoreOthers · 1 January 2026Sri Lanka is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• SwitzerlandcoreOthers · 1 January 2026Switzerland is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• ThailandcoreOthers · 1 January 2026Thailand is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• United Arab EmiratescoreOthers · 1 January 2026United Arab Emirates is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• United KingdomcoreOthers · 1 January 2026United Kingdom is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• UzbekistancoreOthers · 1 January 2026Uzbekistan is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• VietnamcoreOthers · 1 January 2026Vietnam is one of the countries with an active 3-year Agreement for organizing national economics competitions and sending teams to the IEO.
• Eric MaskinflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerEric Maskin, Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences laureate (2007) and Adams University Professor at Harvard University, is a key supporter and advocate of the IEO, providing credibility and prestige to the competition.
• Gregory MankiwflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGregory Mankiw, Professor of Economics at Harvard University, supports the IEO and has provided endorsement statements for the competition.
• Laurence KotlikoffmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaurence Kotlikoff, Professor of Economics at Boston University and New York Times best-selling author, supports the IEO as a prominent economist.
• Mark UzanmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMark Uzan, Executive Director and Founder of the Reinventing Bretton Woods Committee, supports the IEO and emphasizes the importance of international economics education.
• Gita GopinathflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGita Gopinath, Professor of Economics at Harvard University and Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (2022-2025), supports the IEO as a prominent advocate for economics education.
• Humberto LlavadormajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHumberto Llavador, Associate Professor of Economics at Universitat Pompeu Fabra, has attended multiple IEO editions and endorses the competition.
• Daron AcemogluflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerDaron Acemoglu, Institute Professor of Economics at MIT and Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences laureate (2024), is a key supporter of the IEO, providing endorsement and prestige to the competition.
• Harvard UniversityflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHarvard University is home to multiple IEO supporters including Eric Maskin, Gregory Mankiw, and Gita Gopinath, providing institutional credibility to the competition.
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMIT is home to Daron Acemoglu, Nobel laureate and IEO supporter, providing institutional credibility to the competition.
• Boston UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoston University is home to Laurence Kotlikoff, IEO supporter and president of Economic Security Planning.
• Reinventing Bretton Woods CommitteemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Reinventing Bretton Woods Committee, led by Mark Uzan, is connected to the IEO through Mark Uzan who serves as its Executive Director and Founder.
• Universitat Pompeu FabramajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversitat Pompeu Fabra is home to Humberto Llavador, Associate Professor of Economics and IEO supporter.
• International Monetary Fund (IMF)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe IMF is connected to the IEO through Gita Gopinath, who served as Deputy Managing Director of the IMF (2022-2025) and is a Professor of Economics at Harvard University.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• International Physics Olympiad (IPhO): The IPhO is one of the established international science olympiads for high school students, mirroring IEO's structure of national competitions, international finals, and multi-country delegation model. It serves as a direct peer in the global academic olympiad ecosystem.
• International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO): The IChO is one of the long-running international academic olympiads for high school students, using the same national-selection → international-final framework as the IEO. It competes for the same high-achieving student pool and the same institutional partnerships and sponsors.
• International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO): The IMO is the original international academic olympiad for high school students, operating under the same annual national-selection → international-final model as the IEO, governed by an international board of country representatives. It is the closest structural and operational peer, differing only by academic subject.
• International Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad (IOAA): The IOAA is a younger international science olympiad with a structure closely resembling IEO's annual national-selection → international-final model. Both compete for recognition in the global academic olympiad ecosystem and overlapping student talent.
• International Biology Olympiad (IBO): The IBO is an international academic olympiad for high school students with a near-identical operational structure to the IEO: country-level organization, multi-day international finals, multi-disciplinary team challenge, and international jury structure.
• International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI): The IOI is the international academic olympiad for high school students in computer science, following the same annual competition, national-selection, and rotating-host-country model as the IEO. It targets an overlapping talent pool of analytically strong students.
• International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL): The IOL is an international academic olympiad for high school students with a similar annual, multi-country, problem-solving competition structure. Like the IEO, it has expanded its participating-country base rapidly and relies on international academic endorsements.

Emerging players

• DECA (formerly Distributive Education Clubs of America): DECA is an international high school business and entrepreneurship organization that runs competitive events in business, finance, and marketing — overlapping with IEO's business-case component. It serves a broader US-centric audience but competes for the same high-school business talent pool.
• Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA): FBLA is the largest US student business organization running competitive events in business, finance, accounting, and economics at the high school level. It overlaps with IEO on economics and finance competition categories and addresses the same target student demographic.
• World Science Olympiad / International Science Olympiad (ISO): The International Science Olympiad (ISO) is a multi-subject academic olympiad for high school students that includes economics among its subjects, competing directly with IEO in the economics category and overlapping on the broader student-competition infrastructure model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ieo-international-economics-olympiad

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International Economics Olympiad