Green Folio Wins Natixis Students Challenge in Paris

The finalists were tasked with managing a $100 million virtual portfolio between February and April 2026. This year’s edition required students to integrate artificial intelligence tools into their quantitative modeling and market analysis, a shift that highlighted the evolving demands of the asset management industry. Finalists were evaluated by an international jury of experts from Morningstar | Sustainalytics, FactSet, and Natixis Investment Managers.

Green Folio secured the top spot by balancing financial performance with rigorous ESG integration, outperforming finalists Vanna Investment Managers and Valens Capital. Felix Hawkings, a member of the winning team, credited their success to an analytical focus on past mistakes rather than purely short-term returns. Beyond the prize money, the competition functions as a recruitment pipeline, with several past participants moving into roles within Natixis and its affiliated asset management firms.