Real Projects. Real Partners.

Real Impact.

At Ignite Global Business, students don’t just learn business — they do business.

Each semester, teams of advanced juniors and seniors partner with companies across Northwest Arkansas to solve authentic challenges in marketing, strategy, operations, and beyond. These 4–5 week consulting-style projects immerse students in the realities of modern business while giving partners the chance to mentor emerging talent, gain fresh insights, and make a community impact.

What Makes Ignite Projects Unique?

  • Student-Driven, Professionally Guided: Students lead, instructors mentor, partners inspire.

  • Deliverable-Focused: Each project culminates in a professional-grade report and presentation.

  • Community-Connected: Every partnership helps strengthen Northwest Arkansas’ business ecosystem.

  • Career-Ready: Students practice communication, leadership, and data literacy that translate directly into internships and careers.

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Project Scope & Structure

Projects typically last 4–5 weeks, giving students the time to conduct research, analyze data, and deliver professional recommendations. Each team functions like a small consulting group — applying frameworks such as SWOT, Porter’s Five Forces, and Market Analysis to build insight-driven solutions.

  • A group of people sitting around a conference table in a meeting room, smiling for a photo with a large screen displaying 'SEE A GRAND FUTURE' and 'Grand Savings Bank' in the background.

    Grand Savings Bank

    Global Business students partnered with Grand Savings Bank to explore how to better attract and engage Gen Z customers. Teams researched Gen Z financial behaviors, created customer personas, and developed creative, data-informed marketing strategies. The project wrapped with a Shark Tank–style pitch to GSB leaders featuring ideas to help the bank stand out with the next generation.

  • Group of five young professionals standing in an office, holding boxed frozen food products, dressed in business attire, smiling.

    U of A New Product Strategy & Development

    In this cross-disciplinary project, Global Business and Law/Public Policy students teamed up to develop a new consumer product from concept to compliance. Guided by retail mentors, teams created branding and packaging, built a mock Walmart.com product page, and evaluated key legal considerations like labeling, privacy, and consumer protections. The project concluded with a professional pitch to a mock Walmart buyer, combining retail strategy with public policy insight.

  • Person wearing glasses and a face mask working on a laptop displaying a graph or chart, with another laptop nearby.

    Toshiba Data Analysis

    Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions gave students a first hand look at the importance of data analysis. Toshiba challenged students to analyze a live set of data in order to make decisions and recommendations on software defects. Every Ignite student made it through 9,000 rows of data and reported on 7 different deliverables. Several students used this opportunity to take and pass their Excel 1 Certification exam. 

  • Group of six people standing in front of a large digital screen displaying 'Peoples Parlor' logo at an indoor event.

    Create a Barbershop

    This hands-on entrepreneurship challenge tasked students with developing a full business concept for a modern barbershop — from branding and pricing to financial modeling and community engagement. Working in teams, students blended creativity with business fundamentals to design a concept ready for launch in today’s market.

  • A woman presenting during a business meeting or conference, with attendees seated and a presentation slide titled 'Major Trends' displayed on a screen behind her.

    Walmart vs. Amazon

    Students stepped into the role of strategy consultants to predict which retail giant — Walmart or Amazon — will dominate the industry by 2040. Using real data and professional tools like SWOT Analysis and Porter’s Five Forces, teams analyzed global trends in technology, consumer behavior, and competition to build a data-driven case for the future of retail.

  • Two young adults, a man and a woman, sit at a table with snacks and a water bottle, in a room with a TV and a computer. The man is reaching for a snack bag, while the woman looks on.

    Jack Link’s x MrBeast

    In partnership with Jack Link’s Protein Snacks, students explored the power of influencer marketing through the brand’s collaboration with YouTuber MrBeast. Teams analyzed data, measured impact, and built recommendations using Excel, Word, and PowerPoint deliverables — mirroring the work of real marketing analysts. The project challenged students to connect analytics with creativity and strategy.

  • A group of young people, wearing lanyards, listening to a man in a blue shirt speaking inside a retail store that sells clothing.

    Zebra RFID Solution

    In this tech-driven innovation challenge, Global Business and Technology students partnered with Zebra Technologies to tackle a key Walmart eCommerce issue: improving inventory accuracy. After hands-on RFID training, teams explored how advanced tracking could enhance picking, visibility, and the customer experience in stores and Micro Fulfillment Centers. Students then designed wireframes and app prototypes showing how RFID could integrate into retail workflows, presenting a business-ready solution to boost efficiency and unlock new value across the retail ecosystem.

Learn More

General Project Timeline

    • Ignite instructor and partner finalize the project brief.

    • Partner provides any key data, background, or visuals to support context.

    • Students receive a high-level preview and begin background research.

    • Client Kickoff Session: Partner visits Ignite to present the business challenge and answer questions.

    • Students form teams, define the problem, and begin market or competitive research.

    • Instructor provides guidance and introduces relevant tools or frameworks.

    • Students conduct deeper research, gather data, and begin forming insights.

    • Partner is available for a short Q&A session or site visit.

    • Instructor leads skill-based lessons tied to the project focus (e.g., financial modeling, marketing strategy).

    • Teams refine strategies, begin building deliverables (PowerPoint, Word Report, Excel Analysis).

    • Instructor provides coaching and feedback on content and presentation flow.

    • Optional partner check-in for mid-project feedback.

    • Final deliverable run-through with instructor and peer feedback.

    • Design polish, data visualization, and executive summary preparation.

    • Students rehearse presentation skills and prepare client-ready materials.

    • Client Presentation Day: Teams present findings and recommendations to the partner.

    • Partner provides feedback, selects top presentation, and discusses next steps or insights gained.

    • Instructor debrief and reflection activity with students on project learnings and professional growth.

Ready to Partner?

Join us in preparing the next generation of business leaders while gaining insights that matter to your organization.
Click below to propose a project idea — it’s quick, flexible, and impactful.

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