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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.
CMU Innovation and Online opens outreach hub in Saginaw
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Since the 1980s, Central Michigan University has had a presence in Saginaw, part of its commitment to offer educational programs and services to students throughout the Great Lakes Bay region. Now, a new location in downtown Saginaw will offer additional ways to serve students and the community.
“The CMU Innovation and Outreach Hub will be an open front door to CMU in Saginaw,” said Betty Kirby, vice president for Innovation and Online at CMU. “It is an extension and strengthening of our commitment to the community.”
The Hub, located inside CMURC Saginaw, will serve as a base of operations for CMU staff who will meet regularly with local business and civic leaders to foster new relationships, strengthen existing partnerships, and engage CMU in community events and activities.
"CMU Innovation and Online is a strong addition to the CMURC Community. Corporations, professionals, entrepreneurs and now higher education will have a space to collaborate and engage,” said CMURC President and CEO Erin Strang. “Bringing these components together will cultivate organic relationships to make an impact in Riverfront Saginaw.”
Kirby said two primary goals of the Hub are to help organizations in the area develop innovative, customized workforce development programs, and to increase awareness and access to CMU’s flexible credit and non-credit educational opportunities.
“We look forward to working with businesses and community partners to better understand and address their needs for employee training and upskilling – all the things that will help their organizations thrive,” Kirby said. “We also want to expand access for our students living in the Saginaw area.”
Students enrolled in online courses at CMU can use CMU offices and collaborative space in the CMURC Saginaw Hub. Kirby noted that other CMU teams, including career services, admissions and alumni relations, also may use the offices for outreach and programming.
“The Hub’s location in the heart of downtown makes it a great space for CMU stakeholders to come together for meetings, workshops and gatherings,” Kirby said.
CMU will host a grand opening reception for the Hub Thursday, Jan. 19.
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.
