Start up
Build up your venture idea.
Learn more
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.
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.
CMU Dining hosts Friendsgiving event, donates 100 meals to fight food insecurity
by
Aaron Mills
Central Michigan University and Chartwells Higher Education, CMU's food service partner, are hosting a campuswide Friendsgiving event on Thursday, Nov. 18, focused on celebrating togetherness, expressing gratitude and giving back to the Mount Pleasant community. The event, called "Thank-Ful," is part of Chartwells' yearlong Joy-ful program aimed at welcoming students back to campus in a memorable way.
The entire university community is invited to attend the free event from 2-4 p.m. at the Fabiano Botanical Garden area across East Preston Street from the Bovee University Center. Event highlights include:
- A block party complete with food trucks, live music by Jedi Mind Trip, games and more. Food is free to attendees, first-come, first-served while supplies last.
- Thank-Ful Table: A large food table offering complimentary Friendsgiving treats through student-favorite food trucks, a Michigan-inspired chef competition, candy apples, s'mores and so much more.
- Give-back projects: Partnership with the CMU Student Food Pantry to collect food and personal care item donations during the event to help fight food insecurity across campus.
CMU is one of 300 U.S. colleges and universities taking part in this simultaneous Thank-Ful celebration across the country. CMU's dining team will donate 100 meal vouchers to help combat food insecurity on campus and is partnering with the CMU Student Food Pantry to collect donations of food and meal swipes throughout the event to further support the food insecurity initiatives on campus.
"It is no secret that our industry and campus have experienced some challenges as the world continues to recover from the pandemic. Chartwells' Thank-Ful event is the perfect opportunity for our students to once again gather in a schoolwide 'Friendsgiving' celebration of togetherness," said Tyson Dubay, CMU's resident district manager. "We also love that the event provides the unique opportunity to give back to our community and help fight food insecurity our students and community may face."
More information about CMU Dining and the CMU Student Food Pantry can be found on their respective websites.
Signature Programs
Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship
Explore special opportunities to learn new skills and travel the world.
Compete & Win
New Venture Challenge 2025
Present your venture and win BIG at the New Venture Challenge.
Build your skills
Workshops and events
Boost your entrepreneurial skills through our workshops, mentor meetups and pitch competitions.
Develop your ideas
IDEA Den
Learn about the entrepreneurship makerspace on campus in Grawn Hall.
Ready, Set, Pitch!
Make-A-Pitch 2024
Present a 2-minute pitch at the Make-A-Pitch Competition and you could win prizes and bragging rights!
Meet Mentors
Mentorship and support
Connect with mentors and faculty who are here to support the next generation of CMU entrepreneurs.
Support students
Make an impact
Are you a CMU alum looking to support CMU student entrepreneurs? Learn how you can support or donate to the Entrepreneurship Institute.
View our programming newsletter
Alumni give back to students through mentorship, real-world experiences
The Wakeling Gendron Entrepreneurial Scholars program wrapped its first cohort this academic year.
Students compete to win cash prizes at the New Venture Challenge
Pitched 40 ventures at NMV Challenge, Friday, April 19, CMU. Judges awarded $100,000 in cash prizes.
Wakeling Gendron Scholars make a life-changing trip to Texas
Wakeling and Gendron Scholars attended SXSW in Texas, meeting industry leaders and gaining entrepreneurial insights.
Business barriers lead CMU students to a new venture
Justin Ashman and Philip Mundt won Central Michigan University's New Venture Competition with their 3-D printing operation, Form Further.
