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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’s Pi Sigma Epsilon Zeta Nu Chapter traveled to Southfield, MI to compete in the North Central Region Pro-Am Sales Competition October 14th-16th. 14 students competed in four different business-related competitions as a further effort to advance their industry skills. 

      Each competition tests student’s business professional knowledge and their ability to adapt to different scenarios. Students choose to compete in one of four competitions: a mixed marketing case study, a scored business interview, a speaking competition, or the Pro-Am Sell-A-Thon.  

      Senior Mark Paparella, a marketing major and student coach at the conference, said “Coming back to this competition as a coach, gives me a unique perspective. The skills I developed, I can now share those with my peers as they learn and grow. The practical experience allows us to put those skills to the test and network with potential future employers and colleagues.”  

      Several students received awards for their hard work. Senior Kyle Zacharias, a marketing major, placed second in the speaker competition and had the opportunity to compete as a finalist in the competition. Junior Kyleigh Golightly, also a marketing major, was awarded first place in the Pro-Am Sell-A-Thon, sophomore Abigaile Johnson, a finance major, took second place.  

      CMU’s Pi Sigma Epsilon chapter was recognized at this competition for taking first place five years in a row at the national convention. Additionally, CMU’s PSE chapter advisor, Nick Hussein received the Steward of Success Award.

      Source: Kyle Walker

      Media Contact: Jessica Meyers

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      Questions?

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