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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.

      The week in photos: June 12-18

      by User Not Found

      Some of the top photos from Central Michigan University events and activities during the week of June 12-18, as captured by University Communications.

      A student and a faculty member stand near a large telescope inside the Brooks Astronomical Observatory.
      A look inside the Brooks Astronomical Observatory. Each year the facility serves nearly 500 students in introductory observational astronomy courses as well as a large number of individuals from the general public who attend regular observatory open house sessions.
      A large group of incoming freshmen sit in an auditorium watching a presentation during orientation.
      Incoming Central Michigan University students participate in new student orientation in the Bovee University Center.
      A group of college students wearing CMU attire stands on a stage singing as part of new student orientation.
      Orientation Mentors put on a performance in Plachta Auditorium to wrap up a day of new student orientation.
      Four college students work on clothing and with a mannequin in a fashion lab.
      Students and faculty work with mannequins in the Center for Merchandising and Design Technology.
      A woman with her hair in a bun and wearing a white sweater sits at a table making pride ribbons.
      The Center for Student Inclusion and Diversity hosted a Pride Month ribbon making event in the Bovee University Center.

      Questions?