Hedge Funds Simulation

The Hedge Fund Simulation is a fast-paced, high-pressure investment game developed by hedge fund managers and trading strategists. It captures the real-time decision-making, risk-taking, and performance-driven culture of hedge funds.

Students take on the role of portfolio managers running long/short equity strategies in a competitive market. They must generate alpha while managing risk, responding to market volatility, news flow, and shifts in investor sentiment.

Students make daily trading decisions based on company fundamentals, macroeconomic indicators, and evolving portfolio performance. The clock is always ticking - and so is the benchmark. The Hedge Fund Simulation offers a realistic and exhilarating environment to develop trading instincts, analytical rigour, and capital allocation skills - all essential for careers in asset management and hedge funds.

• Long/Short Equity Strategy
• Market Neutral Investing
• Global Macro and Thematic Trades
• Event-Driven and Special Situations
• Risk Parity and Volatility Targeting
• Portfolio Construction and Position Sizing
• Leverage and Margin Management
• Performance Attribution and Benchmarking
• Hedge Fund Fee Structures (2-and-20 Model)
• Drawdown and Liquidity Risk Management
• Strategy Backtesting and Alpha Generation
• Investor Reporting and Fund Marketing

During the hedge funds simulation, students engage in the following tasks to develop and apply hedge funds skills:

• Develop Hedge Fund Strategies: Select and refine investment strategies based on market outlook.
• Construct Long and Short Positions: Manage net and gross exposure dynamically.
• Respond to Market Events: Adjust portfolio positions in reaction to earnings, news, and macro developments.
• Measure Alpha and Beta: Evaluate performance using industry-standard metrics.
• Manage Leverage and Risk: Monitor drawdown limits, volatility targets, and liquidity needs.
• Analyze and Attribute Performance: Identify key drivers of return and areas of underperformance.
• Backtest Strategies: Use historical data to validate investment hypotheses.
• Pitch Fund to Investors: Present strategy, track record, and risk controls to a simulated LP audience.
• Evaluate Competitor Funds: Benchmark against industry peers using returns and risk-adjusted metrics.
• Adapt to Investor Redemptions: Adjust allocations in response to capital inflows and outflows.

• Strategy Differentiation: Understand the risk-return profiles of multiple hedge fund styles.
• Active Risk Management: Build processes to monitor and mitigate downside risk.
• Dynamic Portfolio Management: Gain experience rebalancing portfolios in response to shifting markets.
• Performance Analysis: Learn how to break down returns into alpha, beta, and other components.
• Quantitative Reasoning: Strengthen data interpretation and modeling in investment decisions.
• Investor Relationship Skills: Improve ability to communicate fund performance and justify decisions.
• Operational Awareness: Understand the role of leverage, liquidity, and fees in fund operations.
• Ethical Fund Management: Explore topics like disclosure, fair dealing, and fiduciary responsibility.
• Competitive Strategy: Learn how funds position themselves to attract capital.
• Industry Readiness: Develop the practical skills needed to succeed in hedge fund and asset management roles.

The Hedge Funds Simulation replicates the dynamic and pressure-filled world of active fund management, offering an unmatched opportunity to practice the decision-making, discipline, and performance focus that define hedge fund careers. It combines rigorous financial modeling with real-time portfolio management, allowing students to test ideas, refine execution, and see results unfold through changing market conditions.

By blending risk management, investor communication, and strategy design, the hedge funds simulation mirrors the multidimensional reality of working at a hedge fund. It builds fluency in investment language and discipline while encouraging innovation, critical thinking, and accountability. Ideal for advanced finance students, this simulation bridges theory and real-world application in a way few classroom activities can.