ABOUT THE COMPETITION
The Economic Machine Learning (EML) Lab invites Indiana University undergraduate and graduate students from any program to apply. Participants trade with simulated money in paper-trading accounts; no real capital is at risk, and no real funds may be used.
The competition runs from January 11 to April 23, 2027, with two complementary parts: implementing a provided portfolio efficiently and developing an original trading strategy.
Participation is individual; teams are not permitted. Applying does not guarantee selection.
COMPETITION FORMAT
PART 01
Each week, participants receive an EML Lab portfolio with specified stocks and weights. The goal is to implement it in a paper account while minimizing costs such as commissions, spreads, slippage, and short-selling expenses.
PART 02
Design and trade an original strategy in a paper account. Report its quality and performance using cumulative return, the Sharpe ratio, and other metrics specified by the Lab.
Any trading platform offering paper-money accounts may be used. Interactive Brokers is an option, not a requirement.
IMPORTANT DATES
AWARDS
Three awards are selected from the six finalists; each participant can receive at most one.
Finalist presentations are in person. Remote presentations are not available.
For eligibility, reporting requirements, evaluation details, and complete competition rules, see the full call for participation (PDF).
Questions: emllab@iu.edu
This competition is for educational purposes only. All trading takes place in paper-money accounts, and nothing in the competition constitutes investment advice.