Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship

We are a dedicated institute for student entrepreneurs across campus and beyond. We aim to maximize your success by fostering your entrepreneurial mindset, promote inter-disciplinary collaboration and provide support for the creation and development of your new ventures. Jumpstart your ideas and get involved today!

Tune in for excitement!

Passion. Potential. Pitches. Don't miss any of the 2025 New Venture Challenge excitement.

Tune in Friday, April 11 at 1 p.m. for great ideas and fierce competition. Then, join the judges, mentors, spectators and teams as they see who is going home with thousands of dollars in venture financing. The awards broadcast begins at 6:30 p.m. and one team will walk away as the overall best venture.

2025 NVC Competition Live Stream

2025 NVC Awards Live Stream

Start your entrepreneurial journey

Central Michigan University’s College of Business Administration is the home of the Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship and the first Department of Entrepreneurship in the state of Michigan. We are a student-centric hub where experiential, curricular, and external entrepreneurial opportunities intersect.

Our mission is to maximize student success by fostering a campus-wide entrepreneurial mindset that promotes inter-disciplinary collaboration and the creation of new ventures.

We aim to create innovative programming, boost cross-campus and ecosystem collaboration and provide a comprehensive mentoring program.

Our institute provides extracurricular opportunities and is open to all undergraduate and graduate CMU students.

Student opportunities

Meet experienced alumni, faculty, entrepreneurs, investors, and other business and political leaders.
Learn practical skills, innovative thinking, and connect with mentors and entrepreneurial resources.
Attend skill-building workshops and compete in pitch competitions and Hackathons.
Take part in special scholarship programs and travel experiences.
Pitch your venture at our signature New Venture Challenge event and compete for up to $20,000 in cash awards.

Find your path

Are you interested in becoming an entrepreneur?

Every journey is unique. Explore the opportunities that interest you.

A student standing with a faculty member holding big winning checks from the New Venture Challenge 2024.

Start up

Build up your venture idea.

Learn more

A student smiling and standing in front of his venture display at the 2024 New Venture Challenge.

Family business

Explore the Alternative Entrepreneurial Pathways category at NVC.

Learn more

A close-up of the Prusa i3 MK3 printer in the entrepreneurship makerspace, the IDEA Den in Grawn Hall 166.

Product and prototype design

Create and patent your ideas.

Learn more

Innovation

Explore your ideas and build your skills.

Learn more

CMU remains affordable, competitive with modest tuition increase

Oct 21, 2021, 21:48 by Sanjna Jassi

Central Michigan University maintained its commitment to keeping higher education as affordable as possible for students and families as the Board of Trustees approved a modest increase in 2021-22 tuition rates.
Full story
New drone lab takes flight at CMU

Oct 21, 2021, 21:47 by Sanjna Jassi

Central Michigan University launches Michigan’s only multidisciplinary Drone Lab.
Full story
CMU Study Abroad program garners national recognition

Oct 21, 2021, 21:45 by Sanjna Jassi

Central Michigan University's study abroad program has received the 2020 Institute of International Education’s Seal of Excellence.
Full story
CMU, Supervisory/Technical Association reach agreement

Oct 21, 2021, 21:44 by Sanjna Jassi

Central Michigan University and the CMU Supervisory/Technical Association/MEA-NEA, which represents 97 first-line supervisors and technicians at the Mount Pleasant campus, have reached agreement on a new five-year collective bargaining agreement.
Full story
Trustees to meet on June 23-24

Oct 21, 2021, 21:43 by Sanjna Jassi

Central Michigan University’s Board of Trustees will have committee meetings and its formal session Wednesday, June 23, and Thursday, June 24.
Full story
President Davies named to serve on NCAA governance body

Oct 21, 2021, 21:41 by Sanjna Jassi

Central Michigan President Bob Davies has been selected to serve as the Mid-American Conference representative on the NCAA Division 1 Presidential Forum.
Full story
CMU’s new branding, admissions kit earn international recognition

Oct 21, 2021, 21:39 by Sanjna Jassi

Central Michigan University's University Communications received two international awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.
Full story
CMU alum named next Griffin Endowed Chair

Oct 21, 2021, 21:37 by Sanjna Jassi

Andrea LaFontaine, executive director of the Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance, has been named Central Michigan University’s next Griffin Endowed Chair in American Government.
Full story
CMU student groups continue to give back virtually

Oct 21, 2021, 21:36 by Sanjna Jassi

The College of Business Administration’s sixth annual Battle of the Registered Student Organizations, hosted by the Central Marketing Society, raised $1,500 for the Isabella County Restoration House.
Full story
CMU senior wins national sales competition

Oct 21, 2021, 21:34 by Sanjna Jassi

CMU senior Emma Stowe won first place in Pi Sigma Epsilon’s National Pro-Am Sell-A-Thon and Yearlong Sell-A-Thon competitions. The Pro-Am Sell-A-Thon is centered around a business scenario role-play selling for Cutco.
Full story
Recent CMU grads quickly find their niches

Oct 21, 2021, 21:32 by Sanjna Jassi

Central Michigan University names its 10 Within 10 alumni award recipients.
Full story
Trustees to reflect on a year of the pandemic

Oct 21, 2021, 21:28 by Sanjna Jassi

The Central Michigan University Board of Trustees will hear a presentation reflecting on the past year of the pandemic's impact on the university when it meets virtually April 21 and 22.
Full story
In memoriam: Sarah Kunik

Oct 21, 2021, 21:26 by Sanjna Jassi

Sarah Kunik, executive office Specialist for the Center of Clinical Experiences, passed away on March 29, 2021. She is survived by her husband, Nick, and two daughters, Olivia and Mallory.
Full story
Student affairs AVP announces retirement

Oct 21, 2021, 21:25 by Sanjna Jassi

After four decades as an undergraduate and graduate student, employee and administrator, Anthony Voisin announces plans to retire from the university this summer
Full story
Student duo points the way to a sustainable future

Oct 21, 2021, 21:24 by Sanjna Jassi

Teresa Homsi and Eric Urbaniak have been at the helm of Central Sustainability at CMU, working to engage students in creating a more sustainable future.
Full story
CMU Board of Trustees welcomes two new members

Oct 21, 2021, 21:21 by Sanjna Jassi

Two new members of the CMU Board of Trustees, Sharon L. Heath and Regine C. Beauboeuf, attended their first meeting today after being appointed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last month.
Full story
CMU website redesign project progressing

Oct 21, 2021, 21:11 by Sanjna Jassi

Central Michigan University’s website redesign, a key project geared toward advancing the university’s enrollment efforts, continues to progress.
Full story
Performing on a professional stage

Oct 21, 2021, 17:16 by Sanjay Gupta

Eight CMU students and two CMU faculty members performed alongside the premier Masashi Action Machine dance company in Nagoya, Japan.
Full story
The art of the challenging chat

Oct 21, 2021, 00:49 by Sanjna Jassi

Intergroup dialogue at CMU helps students navigate challenging conversations about polarizing issues.
Full story
Digging into Michigan’s past

Oct 20, 2021, 15:31 by Sanjna Jassi

Anthropology students at Central Michigan University dig into Michigan’s past to discover and preserve cultural history.
Full story