Events and Competitions

This page shows events and competitions being hosted by our Supporters' Club members.

G-Research Cambridge PhD prize

£10,000 in prize funds available

Open to final year PhD students working across areas including, but not limited to:

• Machine Learning
• Quantitative Finance
• Mathematics
• Computer Science
• Statistics
• Physics
• Engineering

To apply email charles.martinez@gresearch.com with:

• Excerpt of your draft dissertation
• CV
• Cover letter

Deadline: 27th March 2026

The Bending Spoons Fellowship

The Bending Spoons Fellowship is a scholarship programme for outstanding computer science students across Europe and the UK. It offers scholars up to €50,000 per year (renewable for up to three years), individual mentorship, and the option to participate in a paid summer internship with us.

The application deadline is 29 March 2026.

Full details and application information is available here.

MATLAB

Interested in MATLAB & Simulink tips and resources? Want to learn more through on-campus workshops and events, or get your hands on official MathWorks merch?

The MATLAB Student Ambassador at the University of Cambridge has launched an Instagram page @mtlbsacam, where weekly posts share tips, resources, and event updates to make your journey with MATLAB & Simulink smoother and more rewarding.

Let's accelerate the pace of engineering and science together! 

Optiver Career Kickstarter: Tech & Trading Programmes

Career Kickstarter: Tech Programme

Where: Amsterdam
When: 11-15 May

Career Kickstarter: Tech is a five-day, all-expenses-paid program designed for students eager to explore the engineering challenges of building mission-critical trading systems that keep global markets moving. Hosted at our Amsterdam headquarters, you’ll work through hands-on coding sessions, system design workshops and a collaborative engineering project that mirrors the work of our engineers.

Application deadline: February 23, 2026, at 17:00 CET

Career Kickstarter: Trading Programme

Where: Amsterdam
When: 1-5 June

Career Kickstarter: Trading is an immersive five-day program at Optiver’s Amsterdam office, offering final-year students at European Universities a direct pathway to a career in trading.

Over the course of one week, you’ll experience a real-world trading environment, moving from options theory to developing highly relevant practical industry skills. Through a blend of interactive lectures, trading games, and expert mentorship, you’ll learn how to think—and act—like a trader.

Application deadline: Applications close at 17:00 CET on 15 March 2026, and the first step of the recruitment process (online assessments) must be completed by 23:59 CET on the same day.

Learn more and apply here:
https://optiver.com/recruitment-events/career-kickstarter-amsterdam/

Optiver Programs and Events

Graduating soon, or just starting your university degree? Discover where a career in trading or tech could lead.
In 2026, we’re offering immersive five-day, all-expenses-paid student programs in Amsterdam.
Whether you’re exploring trading or technology, each program gives you the chance to sharpen your skills in real-world scenarios, learn directly from seasoned experts, and experience life inside a leading global trading firm.

Career Kickstarter: Trading [ Career Kickstarter - Trading - Optiver ]
2-6 March or 9–13 March
Suitable for: May 2025 – Feb 2027 graduates
Potential career pathways: Full-time Graduate Trader

FutureFocus: Quants [ https://optiver.com/recruitment-events/futurefocus-quants/]
23-27 March or 13-17 April
Suitable for: 2028 graduates in the UK or Ireland
Potential career pathways: Quant Trading Intern or Quant Research Intern

Career Kickstarter: Women In Tech [ Career Kickstarter - Women in Tech - Optiver]
13-17 April
Suitable for: female-identifying 2024 - 2027 graduates
Potential career pathways: Full-time Graduate Software Engineer