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.

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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 Online announces new partnership with United States Postal Services

by Jaime Griffis

Central Michigan University Online is excited to announce a renewed partnership with the United States Postal Services, offering a significant educational opportunity to over 600,000 USPS employees nationwide. This collaboration, which revives a relationship from 2014, brings forth new benefits and reaffirms CMU Online’s commitment to supporting professional development and lifelong learning.

Effective immediately, all USPS employees are eligible for a 15% discount on tuition for CMU Online programs. This initiative is designed to make higher education more accessible and affordable, enabling USPS employees to enhance their skills, pursue advanced degrees, and achieve their career goals.

While CMU Online and USPS had a partnership a decade ago, this renewed collaboration marks a fresh beginning, reflecting both organizations' dedication to educational excellence and employee development. CMU Online offers a wide range of programs tailored to meet the diverse needs of working professionals, including flexible schedules and online coursework that accommodate the demanding and varied schedules of USPS employees.

“We are thrilled to renew and refresh our partnership with the United States Postal Services,” said Kaleb Patrick, EdD, interim Vice President for Innovation and Online at CMU. “This collaboration underscores our shared commitment to providing exceptional educational opportunities to USPS employees, helping them advance in their careers and achieve their personal and professional aspirations. The dedicated team at USPS helps us all by delivering essential medicine, letters, and packages to our doorstep every day. CMU is proud to return the favor and offer postal carriers and USPS personnel opportunities for learning and growth.”

CMU Online looks forward to welcoming USPS employees into its diverse and dynamic learning community, providing them with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed in today's rapidly changing world.

For additional details about CMU Online programs and the benefits available through this partnership, please visit online.cmich.edu/usps.