Start up
Build up your venture idea.
Learn more
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.
Cracking the code to glass transitions
by
Teagan Haynes
Ever wonder why your car tires grip the road differently in summer and winter? The answer lies in glass transition, a phenomenon that Central Michigan University Mathematics Ph.D. student Koksal Karakus is unraveling through his research. Karakus focuses on how the density of glass at different temperatures affects its transition into a liquid, and he is thrilled to have recently published his research in the journal Soft Matter.
Working with CMU professor and mentor, Leela Rakesh, Ph.D., and collaborating with Michigan State University researchers, Karakus used data sets to model glass transition as a differential equation, developing a small-scale theory to better understand the process. “Glass isn’t just for windows and smartphones,” Karakus explained. “In food science, preventing liquids from transitioning into a glassy state is crucial for preservation. In medicine, vaccines need to be stored at low temperatures to maintain their original properties and effectiveness, understanding glass transitions can help with that.”
His current study focuses on stable glasses, a material developed in the late 2000s that has unique properties making it stronger and more resistant to the effects of heat than other glasses. By modeling and solving differential equations that describe how stable glass melts, his work could help improve the durability of materials used in everyday products, such as more resilient smartphone screens.
Originally from Turkey, Karakus admits adjusting to the fast-paced nature of research in the US was challenging, but he credits CMU for providing the support and opportunities needed for his success. In fact, he was a finalist in the Three-Minute Thesis competition sponsored by the CMU Office of Research and Graduate Studies in March, an event that helps students develop presentation skills. Looking ahead, Karakus hopes to continue his work as a research-focused mathematics professor. “I’m on the job market,” he joked. “If anyone’s hiring, let me know.”
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.
