Institute of Advanced Investment Management

Industry Projects (Firms)

Advancing the Practice of Investing through Real-World Projects

Gain fresh perspectives and actionable insights while contributing to the education and career readiness of the next generation of finance students. IAIM connects you to student teams of 3-4 passionate finance students to tackle your real-world projects.

Benefits to Sponsors

  • Gain innovative solutions and perspectives
    from talented finance students
  • Strengthen ties with the academic
    community and potential future employees
  • Enhance your organization’s visibility and
    branding in the finance industry
  • Early access to talent that will soon enter
    the workforce
  • Campus brand awareness
  • Opportunity to give back and invest in the
    next generation

Your Organization Benefits from New Tools & Analysis

Students Receive Hands-On Experience from You

Tools from Public Projects will be Accessible to All

Getting Started

Step One – Establish the project with a clear and concise description of your organization and the measurable goals and outcomes of the project. Projects should be able to be completed in 12-15 weeks with student teams dedicating 3-6 hours per week to the project. 

Step Two – Determine project contact, the dedicated SME willing to devote time to support the student team, provide onboarding context, perform check-ins, provide feedback and complete the final evaluation.

Step Three – Submit your proposal for consideration to Professor Jonathan Brogaard:
brogaardj@eccles.utah.edu
www.advancedinvesting.org

Logistics

Teams: 3-4 students dedicate 3-6 hours per week to the project.
Duration: Projects are a semester in length (12-15 weeks) with the option to link multiple semesters for larger projects.
Compensation: Students are not paid compensation.

Project Timeline

Current Projects – Fall 2025

Firm

Project Topic

Cynosure Capital Management

Students are actively working to research and create a Private Equity fund of fund analysis.

Park City Investment Solutions

Automation and visualization of weekly market data, including data from the United States, Germany, Japan, China, India, and the UK to be distributed to various freelance advisors.

Utah SITFO

Students are surveying the various offerings, benefits, and potential pitfalls of evergreen funds, with a focus on how evergreen funds can be used by institutional investors.

Storm Capital

The cryptocurrency market provides unique and different challenges compared to traditional equities. Students are working to research and predict what opportunities will arise within the next five years that Cryptocurrency investors may be able to benefit from.

Prior Projects

Firm

Project Topic

Keystone National Group

Researching Corporate Finance and Equipment Leasing opportunities, targeting companies that fit Keystone’s defined criteria

Cynosure Capital Management

External investment due diligence and investment research

Forecheck Wealth Management

Developing various investment strategies for different risk tolerance profiles, through market analysis, asset class evaluation, and overall risk assessment

Best Practices

Project Design
  • Incorporate opportunities for students to apply classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios.
  • Assign a dedicated project contact who is a subject matter expert (SME) to guide and mentor
    students, provide necessary resources and ensure access to relevant tools, systems, and
    documentation.
Time Commitment
  • Allocate time for project setup and final evaluation.
  • Meet with students on a regular cadence – once a week for about 30 minutes.
Flexibility
  • Balance ambitious objectives with achievable milestones.
  • Be open to adjustments and modifications based on project progress
Clear Communication
  • Establish clear lines of communication and set expectations for response times.
  • Maintain steady commitment and engagement with student teams through regularly
    scheduled communication for feedback, evaluation, and project management.
  • Offer timely, specific feedback to help students improve and learn.
Mentorship
  • Set clearly defined goals with measurable outcomes that support students’ academic growth
    while meeting project requirements.
  • Give students context: insights on the company, industry practices, and industry trends.
  • Provide guidance and support, encouraging students to ask questions and seek advice.

If you want more information before submitting a formal proposal, please contact Jonathan Brogaard for further details. To do so, email brogaardj@eccles.utah.edu