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.

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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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Explore truth, lies and fake news

by Sanjay Gupta

Central Michigan University’s Critical Engagements continues a yearlong exploration of fake news.

What do we know and how do we know it?

These are two of the questions raised as Central Michigan University's Critical Engagements series continues to explore this year's theme: fake news

Students, faculty, staff and community members are discussing challenging topics, such as how information — and misinformation — is spread and the way important issues like race and climate change are discussed in the media.

Christi Brookes, director of academic initiatives in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences and professor of French, said this year's theme is both relevant and timely.

"From elections to a changing climate and from "deep fake" videos to vaccines, it is clear that we all regularly encounter multiple viewpoints, perspectives and even disinformation," Brookes said.

"Without good information, we run the risk of making poor decisions with consequences that impact everything from our bodies to the well-being of our communities."

The interdisciplinary program renews its series of events this month, beginning with a visit from Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Wes Lowery at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23 in the Bovee University Center Auditorium.

Lowery will speak about his experience reporting in Ferguson, Missouri, following the shooting of Michael Brown, and working as a journalist during the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement.

The schedule of events also includes panel discussions with refugees, guest speakers and an escape room designed by students. All events are free and open to the public.

"We are excited to work with our university and community partners to examine these issues up close and — with any luck — find some solutions," Brookes said.