A student standing and speaking in front of a large crowd in French Auditorium.

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.

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Innovation

Explore your ideas and build your skills.

Learn more

Central Michigan University is proud to announce the renewal of its partnership with Oakland County, continuing a commitment that has been in place since 2018. This renewed collaboration will provide over 5,000 Oakland County employees, as well as their spouses and dependents under the age of 24, with a 15% tuition discount on most CMU Online programs.

The discount extends to a broad range of degree programs and certificates, helping Oakland County employees and their families achieve personal and professional growth through CMU’s flexible online learning platform.

“Central Michigan University is excited to strengthen our relationship with Oakland County through this renewed partnership. Offering accessible, high-quality online education is at the heart of what we do, and we are thrilled to continue supporting the county’s employees and their families as they pursue their educational goals,” said Kaleb Patrick, Interim Vice President for Innovation and Online at Central Michigan University.

Since its inception in 2018, the partnership has empowered hundreds of Oakland County employees to upskill or reskill, furthering their careers and contributing to the workforce development of the region. The new agreement is set to impact even more individuals, with spouses and dependents now also eligible to benefit from the discount.

For more information about how to access this partnership or to apply, please visit online.cmich.edu/OaklandCounty.

Source: Jaime Griffis

Media Contact: Jaime Griffis