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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Construction resumes on CMU campus

by Sanjay Gupta

With Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s authorization of construction as an approved activity, CMU is continuing its 2019-2020 construction program.

With Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's authorization of construction as an approved activity, Central Michigan University is proceeding with a modified 2019-2020 construction program.

Projects are primarily based upon funding authorized in December as part of the annual deferred maintenance program. The program consists mostly of infrastructure projects and some general improvements, in keeping with CMU's goals and priorities. The projects being conducted support both the safety of campus and academic pursuits. They include:

Improved exterior lighting for campus safety.
Repairs to the Central Energy Facility, Satellite Energy Facility and underground utility systems.
CMU's 911 Center Next Generation Technology upgrade, which is a state grant-supported project being conducted concurrently with Isabella County's 911 Center upgrade.
Upgrading facilities in Wightman Hall to create the Allen Foundation Culinary Nutrition Center
The South Campus Stormwater Mitigation Project, a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant-supported project to improve stormwater controls south of Broomfield Road.
Masonry repairs to Warriner Hall, Wightman Hall and Rose Center to repair and protect the structural integrity of the facilities.
Roof repairs at Rose Center and Anspach Hall.
PBS Tower Maintenance.

Since CMU works to develop projects in the fall and winter, many contracts were in place before the pandemic restrictions. However, some projects were postponed, including the ongoing campus signage upgrade project and a refresh of the Subway restaurant at the Towers.

"With coronavirus, we're faced with difficult decisions. However, we must ensure campus is ready for classes in the fall," said Jonathan Webb, CMU associate vice president for facilities management. "In some cases, canceling a project could wind up costing the university, versus executing what was already planned and contracted. We determined that critical infrastructure and safety-related projects should continue as planned."

Adapting to change

Webb said adapting to change can be challenging, and the pandemic requires everyone to adjust and find opportunities for improvement.

The department overseeing campus construction will be right-sizing and has changed its name from Plant Engineering and Planning to University Engineering and Planning to better represent its scope of responsibilities.

Additionally, Facilities Management Project Manager Andy Reihl has been appointed interim director of University Engineering and Planning, following the retirement of Linda Slater in April.