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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Meet Delia Baker: Director of SERC and STEM Outreach Coordinator

by Robert Wang

We’re so excited to welcome Delia Baker to Central Michigan University! A Kalamazoo native, Delia is bringing her energy, expertise, and adventurous spirit to her new roles as the Director of the Science and Engineering Residential College and the coordinator of K-12 outreach programs for the College of Science and Engineering.

Delia’s story is anything but ordinary. She spent eight years in the Michigan Army National Guard, playing saxophone with the Governor’s Own 126 Army Band. After that, she joined AmeriCorps, working as a farm-to-school coordinator in Vermont, where she helped connect schools with fresh, local food.

Her career has been fueled by a love of learning and teaching. Delia earned her bachelor’s degree in business management from Western Michigan University and an associate degree in business administration from Kalamazoo Valley Community College (KVCC). At KVCC, she wore many hats, including program coordinator and technical instructor for the Wind Turbine Technician Academy. Before coming to CMU, she worked as a garden education outreach coordinator, bringing her hands-on approach to life sciences.

When asked why she chose CMU, Delia said:

“The opportunity was too good to pass up. It’s the perfect fit for my experience, and it’s time for a new chapter.”

Delia is excited to grow CMU’s K-12 outreach programs, giving kids in the Great Lakes Bay Region fun, engaging ways to explore STEM careers. She’s also looking forward to creating more activities, trips, and ways to connect for students in the residential college.

Her passion for exploration doesn’t stop at her career. In 2023, Delia and her husband, Dennis, sold their house, packed up a 23-foot travel trailer, and spent a year exploring 31 National Parks, six National Monuments, and countless trails and state parks.

When she’s not at work, Delia loves music (both playing and listening), hiking, camping, kayaking, gardening, and identifying plants. She’s also excited to get involved with the CMU and Saginaw Chippewa Tribal communities.

“I can’t wait to share my love of STEM and get K-12 learners FIRED UP about CMU!”

We’re so happy to have Delia on board and can’t wait to see everything she brings to the CMU family. Welcome, Delia!