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.

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Innovation

Explore your ideas and build your skills.

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CMU announces first winners in vaccine incentive program

by Sanjna Jassi

Central Michigan University announces first winners in vaccine incentive program. Johnathan Taft, a senior from Greenville, Michigan, was selected as the winner of a scholarship valued at a full year's tuition at CMU.

Central Michigan University has officially selected the first round of winning students in its vaccine incentive program. Johnathan Taft, a senior from Greenville, Michigan, was selected as the winner of a scholarship valued at a full year's tuition at CMU.

Taft, an athletic training major, was surprised with the news via a video call from Kate King, president of CMU Student Government Association, members of the Marching Chips, and President Bob Davies.

During the call, Taft shared his reasons for getting a vaccine.

"I chose to get vaccinated because I work with patients a lot, and I want to protect them and myself. This is also to protect my family when I go home and see them," he said.

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Taft is the first of four students who will win scholarships equivalent to a full year of tuition. An additional 400 students — 100 per drawing — will receive $75 gift cards. All participants in the program also receive a 20% discount to the CMU Bookstore just for registering online.

To date, 5,550 students have entered the incentive program — approximately one-third of the student body.

Jennifer DeHaemers, CMU's vice president for student recruitment and retention, is proud of the participation so far and hopes that number continues to climb.

"We are excited for the return of students to campus this fall and want to ensure everyone can enjoy a robust and engaging fall semester as safely as possible," she said. "We strongly encourage students to receive the vaccine, and this program is a fantastic reward for doing so."

CMU will host vaccine pop-up clinics on campus during move-in and orientation week. Students and employees also can make an appointment through CMU Health by calling 989-774-6599. Students outside the Mount Pleasant area may visit Vaccine Finder or Michigan's COVID-19 vaccine page to find a vaccination site near their home.

The remaining drawings for the incentive program are scheduled for Aug. 23, Sept. 13, and Oct. 4. All currently enrolled students are eligible to register, including main campus, Global Campus, international, and College of Medicine students.

Information about the vaccine incentive program, including full rules and entry form, is available for students on the program webpage.