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.

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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.

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Detroit is a city on the rise, and Central Michigan University is committed to playing a role in its resurgence.

That's no surprise. Detroit and CMU have worked side by side for more than 45 years in supporting a well-educated citizenry. CMU has offered programs in metro Detroit since 1972 and now operates a downtown hub and five satellite locations where students can take courses in person.

The local centers in Clinton Township, Dearborn, Southfield, Troy and Warren — in addition to a wide variety of programs offered online — allow Detroiters to pursue their degrees and certifications in southeast Michigan, while they continue to revitalize their city.

Now, CMU and the City of Detroit have teamed up to offer city employees, contractors, their spouses and dependents younger than 24 a 15 percent tuition savings for courses taken online or at one of CMU's satellite locations.

With a range of bachelor's and master's degree programs — as well as certificate programs — available to those receiving the tuition savings, CMU has an option for everyone.

"CMU is vested in Michigan's success, and the state needs the strength of its major cities in order to thrive," said CMU President George E. Ross. "That's why we are dedicated to fostering education, innovation and investment in the city of Detroit."

Step out of your office and into the classroom.

To learn more about the tuition savings program, available degree options and how your work experience may already have earned you credits toward a degree, visit Global Campus.

Source: Global Campus