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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Introducing CMU’s new Admissions and Aid website

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We're thrilled to announce the launch of our brand-new Admissions and Aid website on July 9! This exciting project is more than just a new look. It's a complete overhaul designed to transform how prospective undergraduate, graduate and international students experience Central Michigan University.

“This joint project with University Communications allowed us to find creative solutions that will vastly improve the ability of our prospective students and their supporters to find and understand the information they’re seeking on our website," said Bob Garcia, senior director of admissions. "Utilizing data, best practices and decades of experience, we are excited to launch this new portion of our website that will see thousands of visitors in the coming year.”

Why the change?

Our commitment to student success starts long before students reach the classroom. The college search process can be overwhelming. Our website plays a critical role in helping students and their supporters quickly and easily find the information they need in order to choose CMU. Improving their first interactions with us puts them on the path for continued success when they begin classes here.

Data-driven decisions

The new website is the culmination of extensive research and user-centered design. We leveraged website analytics, user experience testing and best practices in search engine optimization to create a streamlined, intuitive and mobile-friendly experience.

Here's what to expect

Reduced clicks, more clarity: Our website architecture has been completely reorganized, with a focus on clear navigation and easy access to crucial information.
Content that converts: Forget the jargon! We've replaced it with engaging, concise language that resonates with prospective students and their families.
Finding answers fast: Powerful search functionality and a focus on SEO best practices ensure that prospective students get the answers they need, right when they need them.
A window into our community: Stunning visuals and compelling stories showcase the vibrant campus life, academic opportunities and support systems that await future CMU students.

The new site by the numbers

3 separate websites were designed to focus on distinct audiences with distinct needs: incoming freshman and transfer students, graduate students and international students. Supporters (parents/guardians) and high school counselors also have sections dedicated to their needs within the new freshman site.
A 72 percent reduction in the total number of pages, from 188 to 58.
It takes just 4 clicks to get to the deepest page within the sites, providing a simpler journey for students and supporters.
100 percent of pages have a key call-to-action (CTA) to better move prospective students through recruitment and enrollment steps.
Approximately 140 multimedia assets (images, videos, icons, interactive embeds, etc.) have been added throughout the site to boost visual storytelling and increase user engagement.

We invite you to explore the new Admissions and Aid website on July 9 and see how it reflects the exceptional educational experience we offer all students.