
Start up
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.
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.
Are you interested in becoming an entrepreneur?
Every journey is unique. Explore the opportunities that interest you.
When COVID-19 closed schools and forced teachers and students into remote learning, there were many noteworthy successes. But the situation largely highlighted a digital learning gap in the education system. As the pandemic continues and infections increase, Central Michigan University is taking a leadership role in advancing vital remote teaching and learning skills.
CMU and the International Society for Technology in Education brought together classroom educators, school administrators, district leaders, regional agencies and representatives from the Michigan Department of Education to address technology in today's learning environments. Full report is available online.
"As leaders in teacher education, we saw an opportunity to gather educators from all levels across the state to work together to address common issues and encourage a statewide vision," said Paula Lancaster, dean of CMU's College of Education and Human Services.
In small group sessions, stakeholders discussed the successes and challenges experienced by educators, administrators and students across the state. The conversation then pivoted to identifying recommendations to move the state forward collectively:
"Throughout everything we've been studying and working on since the pandemic began, the question remains: How can educators make online learning more effective and equitable for students, regardless of where they live and what technology they have available," said Kathryn Dirkin, associate professor and chair of Teacher Education and Professional Development at CMU.
As the pandemic continues, access to education and resources needs to improve, Dirkin said. And teachers must be prepared for educating with technology. Programs like CMU's master's degree in learning, design and technology and doctorate in educational technology are designed to prepare educators for a variety of instructional settings.
"In all of the virtual conferences we've participated and presented in recently, the common themes are investing in our teachers, technology for students and teachers, and access for all," Dirkin said.
Explore special opportunities to learn new skills and travel the world.
Present your venture and win BIG at the New Venture Challenge.
Boost your entrepreneurial skills through our workshops, mentor meetups and pitch competitions.
Learn about the entrepreneurship makerspace on campus in Grawn Hall.
Present a 2-minute pitch at the Make-A-Pitch Competition and you could win prizes and bragging rights!
Connect with mentors and faculty who are here to support the next generation of CMU entrepreneurs.
Are you a CMU alum looking to support CMU student entrepreneurs? Learn how you can support or donate to the Entrepreneurship Institute.