The Babson Stock Exchange (BSE) is a virtual stock exchange managed by the Babson iTower open to Babson College students, faculty and staff, where participants can use imaginary money to invest in the stock market and see how they perform. It is set up like a competition, but participants are urged to use this as more of a learning experience rather than a measure of performance.

All players who sign up for a competition will start with $100,000 to invest. They may begin by either buying stock, shorting stock, or strategizing with our margin options. Like the real world, the cash flow does not simply stop at the trading, but commission and interest fees are charged as well. The Babson Stock Exchange mimics the actual trading experience more so than any other virtual stock exchange on the internet.

The BSE's first competition will begin in February 2005 and end in early May 2005. The BSE also plans to host monthly stock competitions to brush students up on their technical analysis skills.

Through the exchange, the iTower is reaching towards its goal of spreading knowledge of investments and securities in the Babson campus. While Babson College has centered its mission on becoming the world’s top institution for entrepreneurial education, it seems as though a concept at the center of the college’s foundation, investing, is not receiving the attention its founder desired. Roger Babson passionately invested in world markets, all the while mentoring the first young minds to graduate from Babson. The goal of the iTower is to once again realize the passion that Roger Babson had for investing by fostering an environment where students help each other on the course to success, and the BSE helps the iTower realize this goal.

Not only will inexperienced Babson students be able to test their investing skills and see how much of a return they can get, but students without any pervious investing experience will be able to look over our easy to understand guides and learn the basic concepts of investing. This may further spur an interest on campus, and might even make some students realize that they may want to take a career path centered on investing.

Babson undergraduate student Robert Giliberto 06', created and designed the Babson Stock Exchange in the fall of 2004, with valuable input from Chaim Pizem 06'. Rob created the BSE striving to make the most accurate investing experience possible with the resources available. Players in the BSE will be able to buy, sell, and short stock. Margin and savings accounts are also available for the players must manage. The iTower wants to make the BSE more of a learning experience than a performance measurer, so certain restrictions have been placed in the program that prevent rapid day trading. Features will also be added over time to create a more realistic experience.

To visit the Babson Stock Exchange, go to http://bse.babsonitower.com.