Start up
Build up your venture idea.
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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.
Central Michigan University partners with Huntington National Bank to offer exclusive tuition discounts
by
Jaime Griffis
Central Michigan University Online is proud to announce an exciting new partnership with Huntington National Bank, bringing enhanced educational opportunities to thousands of individuals and families. Through this collaboration, Huntington colleagues, their spouses, and dependents under age 24 are eligible for a 10% tuition discount on CMU Online programs.
This partnership is set to make a significant impact, benefiting over 18,000
Huntington colleagues nationwide, along with their qualifying family members.
By offering a financial incentive to pursue higher education, CMU and
Huntington are jointly investing in the professional and personal growth of
Huntington’s workforce and their loved ones.
“This partnership underscores our shared commitment to empowering
individuals with the tools they need to succeed,” said Dr. Kaleb Patrick,
Interim Vice President for Innovation and Online at CMU. “By providing access
to high-quality online education at an affordable cost, we are helping
Huntington National Bank colleagues, and their families achieve their academic
and career goals.”
Eligible participants will have access to CMU’s wide range of online
undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs, designed to accommodate the
unique needs of working professionals and learners of all ages. CMU Online’s
flexible and innovative learning environment ensures that students can balance
their education with personal and professional commitments.
“We’re so excited to bring the incredible opportunities available at Central
Michigan to Huntington colleagues,” said Seth Perigo, Regional President for
Huntington Bank. “As colleagues gain new skills through CMU, we will be better
positioned to strengthen the communities we serve.”
For more information on the partnership and how to apply, Huntington
employees are encouraged to visit online.cmich.edu/Huntington.
Signature Programs
Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship
Explore special opportunities to learn new skills and travel the world.
Compete & Win
New Venture Challenge 2025
Present your venture and win BIG at the New Venture Challenge.
Build your skills
Workshops and events
Boost your entrepreneurial skills through our workshops, mentor meetups and pitch competitions.
Develop your ideas
IDEA Den
Learn about the entrepreneurship makerspace on campus in Grawn Hall.
Ready, Set, Pitch!
Make-A-Pitch 2024
Present a 2-minute pitch at the Make-A-Pitch Competition and you could win prizes and bragging rights!
Meet Mentors
Mentorship and support
Connect with mentors and faculty who are here to support the next generation of CMU entrepreneurs.
Support students
Make an impact
Are you a CMU alum looking to support CMU student entrepreneurs? Learn how you can support or donate to the Entrepreneurship Institute.
View our programming newsletter
Alumni give back to students through mentorship, real-world experiences
The Wakeling Gendron Entrepreneurial Scholars program wrapped its first cohort this academic year.
Students compete to win cash prizes at the New Venture Challenge
Pitched 40 ventures at NMV Challenge, Friday, April 19, CMU. Judges awarded $100,000 in cash prizes.
Wakeling Gendron Scholars make a life-changing trip to Texas
Wakeling and Gendron Scholars attended SXSW in Texas, meeting industry leaders and gaining entrepreneurial insights.
Business barriers lead CMU students to a new venture
Justin Ashman and Philip Mundt won Central Michigan University's New Venture Competition with their 3-D printing operation, Form Further.
