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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.

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

The Central Michigan University Board of Trustees will consider a proposal to begin the design phase of the Washington Commons residential community project when they hold their first meeting of 2022 this week.

During the formal session, which begins Thursday at 11 a.m., trustees also will discuss and take action on other items, including:

Room and board rates for the 2022-23 academic year.
Approval of faculty tenure and promotion actions, as well as approval of emeritus rank for 14 CMU faculty and staff members.
Authorization to engage the university’s external audit firm.
Establishment of a Board of Trustees Health Care Special Committee for calendar year 2022.

In addition, the trustees will receive an update from the Presidential Assessment Committee.

The formal session is open to the university community and general public via livestream using this link. In-person seating for up to 25 individuals will be available in the President’s Conference Room in the Bovee University Center.

Several Board of Trustees committees also meet this week. Highlights of the Wednesday committee agendas include:

Academic and Student Affairs, 1:15-2:15 p.m. — Interim Provost Richard Rothaus will provide an update on several academic initiatives, and Interim Associate Vice President Shaun Holtgreive will provide an update on various student affairs activities.
Finance and Facilities, 2:30-3:30 p.m. — Nick Long, vice president and chief financial officer, will provide an update on the budget model review process and the proposed Washington Commons residential project. Jennifer Cotter, executive director of development, will present advancement-related agenda items.
Trustees-Faculty Liaison, 3:45-4:45 p.m. — Dr. Katie Squires, faculty member in the Communication Sciences and Disorders program, will discuss the Structured Language and Literacy Intervention Graduate Certificate, which was developed through a partnership between The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow College of Health Sciences and the College of Education and Human Services’ Teacher and Professional Development program. Faculty members Will Anderson, from Broadcast and Cinematic Arts, and Michelle Steinhilb, from Biology, will provide trustees with a glimpse into a day in the life of a CMU faculty member.
Trustees-Student Liaison, 5-6 p.m. — Student leaders will discuss the CMU Student Food Pantry and financial wellness programs. Student Government Association President Kate King will provide an update on campus life.

Wednesday’s committee meetings also are open to the university and general public via Livestream at this link or in person in the President’s Conference Room.

Agendas and a schedule of committee meetings are available on the Board of Trustees website.

In accordance with the Board of Trustees bylaws, public comment will be allowed for Thursday's formal session by submitting a request online or contacting the Office of the President.

Source: Ari Harris

Media Contact: Aaron Mills