Faculty & Research

Facilitating faculty research and case development on an international scale

Our unprecedented network of research centers and regional offices in key areas of the world enable faculty to work with leaders, industry, government, and academia worldwide, and to learn from business challenges and innovations wherever they occur. Through sustained work in the field, faculty are provided the opportunity to immerse themselves in the culture and values – as well as intricacies and nuances – that lead to truly meaningful and insightful global research.

Research Centers & Offices

More than half the faculty are actively involved in international research, developing high-impact cases and course materials on relevant global issues and innovations.

New Research

October 2026
Teaching Material

Nuwa Capital: Investing During Uncertainty

By: Paul A. Gompers

Teaching Plan for HBS Case No. 224-016. Nuwa Capital (Nuwa) was a venture capital firm based in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. The business was founded in 2020 by Khaled Talhouni and his partners Sarah Abu Risheh, and Stephanie Nour Prince (they were later joined by Nitin Reen and Victor Sunyer). Together, they had a combined experience of nearly 20 years investing in over 300 companies, including some of the Middle East and North Africa’s most successful startups. In a startup ecosystem as nascent as theirs, their track record eclipsed most other firms. By August 2021, Nuwa had achieved a first close on its fund and, in response to changing market conditions, pivoted their investment thesis to earlier stage startups. One of the industries they decided to invest in was foodtech, and they had been in advanced stages of conversations with Calo, a Bahrain based foodtech player. The team was conducting their already accelerated due diligence when they received word that another investor had just met Calo and was willing to take Nuwa’s spot. Promising founders like Calo’s were hard to come by and Nuwa had to decide quickly. The problem was that Calo did not, on the surface, fit Nuwa’s thesis. However, it had the potential to only after a pivot.

February 2026
Case

Axel Springer: Reinventing a Legacy through Global Acquisitions (A)

By: Juan Alcacer and Shachar Fuchs

This case series enables students to evaluate how a legacy European media company reinvents itself through digital transformation and strategic global acquisitions. It follows Axel Springer’s journey from a traditional German publisher to a U.S.-focused digital media player under CEO Mathias Döpfner. Across three cases, students grapple with high-stakes decisions about acquiring Business Insider vs. HuffPost (Case A), Politico vs. Axios (Case B), and the company’s 2024 split into two focused entities (Case C). The series offers rich learning around digital reinvention, global strategy, M&A fit, governance, and the role of values and leadership in strategic transformation In 2015, after a failed bid for the Financial Times, Axel Springer—a legacy German media conglomerate—was seeking to expand its digital and international footprint. CEO Mathias Döpfner must choose between acquiring Business Insider or HuffPost. The case explores strategic fit, cultural alignment, and valuation in a fast-changing digital media landscape.

February 2026
Case

Axel Springer: Reinventing a Legacy through Global Acquisitions (B)

By: Juan Alcacer and Shachar Fuchs

Series Abstract This case series enables students to evaluate how a legacy European media company reinvents itself through digital transformation and strategic global acquisitions. It follows Axel Springer’s journey from a traditional German publisher to a U.S.-focused digital media player under CEO Mathias Döpfner. Across three cases, students grapple with high-stakes decisions about acquiring Business Insider vs. HuffPost (Case A), Politico vs. Axios (Case B), and the company’s 2024 split into two focused entities (Case C). The series offers rich learning around digital reinvention, global strategy, M&A fit, governance, and the role of values and leadership in strategic transformation Case (B) One year later, having acquired Business Insider and merged it with eMarketer, Axel Springer turns to its next U.S. acquisition. The company faces a new choice: acquire Politico, a premium political journalism outlet with a hybrid revenue model, or Axios, an up-and-coming player with rapid growth and a unique editorial format. Students must compare value, business model fit, and acquisition logic.

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Global Colloquium for participant-centered learning

For senior faculty at top business schools in emerging economies who want to be trained in interactive methods of teaching and learning. GloColl comprises a seven-day session held on the HBS campus, followed by a three-day session held in two cities in Asia, Europe, or Latin America each year.

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