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.

Learn more

Innovation

Explore your ideas and build your skills.

Learn more

Grandparents U is back for its 15^th year at Central Michigan University’s campus, June 21 - June 23. Alumni Relations is proud to bring this event back to campus after two years of virtual participation.

Grandparents U is a summer camp that brings generations of CMU Chippewas together for three days of fun. Grandparents and grandchildren will attend interactive and educational hands-on sessions, hosted by faculty and staff across CMU’s campus.

There are a variety of session offerings, including:

Inside Look: CMU Athletics.
Tie-Dye: Fun with Chemistry.
WCMU Behind the Scenes: Radio and TV Production.

The 15^th Annual Grandparents U camp will include 40 families, with 55 grandparents and 57 grandchildren, this year. Participants will enjoy interactive learning in real-life experiences, exposure to the leadership of CMU’s faculty and staff, and experience the strong sense of community we know to be CMU.

“Every session at Grandparents U is hands-on learning,” said Brittany Milan, Associate Director of Alumni Engagement. “Whether participants are learning about the chemistry of tie-dye t-shirts or using household items to create a protective device for dropping an egg off the second-floor balcony in the Engineering & Tech building… there is something for everyone,” Milan said.

Stay tuned to the Alumni Facebook page to see a photo album of this year’s camp. If you would be interested in volunteering to host a session in your area of expertise next year, please contact Alumni Relations at alumni@cmich.edu or 989-774-3312. Fire Up Chips!

Source: Mackenzie Miller