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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 Supports Northern Michigan Startup Week

      by Jaime Griffis

      The annual Northern Michigan Startup Week will be held April 22-25, 2024.  This year’s theme is rural health innovation. Throughout the week, participants will learn about entrepreneurial and innovative approaches to advance rural health outcomes. 

      CMU will have a strong presence with participation in: (a) the STEM-posium (College of Science and Engineering), (b) the TC New Tech University Showdown (College of Business Administration), and (c) the CMU Mobile Health Central Clinic (Herbert H. And Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions). The Mobile Health Clinic will be conducting hearing assessments and providing information about Audiology and other health programs. Additionally, the CMU Rural Health Equity Institute (College of Medicine) is hosting the Higher Education Forum with a focus on: Building Thriving Communities, in collaboration with Northwestern Michigan College and regional university center partners. To learn more visit: Northern Michigan Startup Week • Traverse Connect

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      Questions?

      Contact the team