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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.

      Work continues as part of the Central Changes initiative

      by Erica Peters

      Members of the Central Michigan University community participated in listening sessions last month, as part of the Central Changes initiative. During these sessions, attendees were invited to share their concerns amid ongoing changes at the global, federal, state, and local levels. Participants shared a range of issues – including long-term job security, impacts on international students, censorship, academic freedom, and the emotional strain on students, faculty, and staff. 

      “I am deeply grateful to everyone who took the time to share their thoughts and perspectives in ways that felt right for them,” Provost Lancaster said. “We learned so much through these sessions and heard powerful statements from members of our community about the rate and volume of change and feelings of helplessness, anxiety, and isolation.”  

      In addition to sharing concerns, participants were invited to share their vision for the future and suggest possible next steps and solutions to address their concerns. “Many, many individuals shared their genuine interest in building community, supporting students and colleagues, and ways to be informed about ongoing changes,” Lancaster said. “Participants expressed a profound sense of perseverance, dedication, and a focus on humanity in these challenging times. “I was struck by the number of respondents who called for opportunities to communicate and understand across difference and a commitment to maintaining the supportive community that has been part of CMU’s identity for decades.”   

      Work will continue over the summer to fully analyze the feedback collected as part of the initiative, with the goal of updating the university community early in fall semester, according to Lancaster. 

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      Questions?

      Contact the team