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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.
Mid-American Conference postpones fall sports
by
Sanjna Jassi
The Mid-American Conference today announced a decision to postpone fall sports to protect the health and safety of student-athletes, coaches and fans. The conference will begin planning opportunities for fall sports competition to take place this spring.
To protect the health and safety of student-athletes, coaches, fans and others as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the nation, the Mid-American Conference today announced the decision to postpone fall sports. The conference will begin planning opportunities for fall sports competition to take place this spring.
The decision comes after a meeting of the MAC Council of Presidents earlier today.
"As a member of the MAC Council of Presidents, I can tell you this was a difficult choice and one that we did not take lightly, understanding the repercussions for our student-athletes and so many others in our university community," CMU President Bob Davies said. "It was a tough call, but our health and medical experts made it clear that this was the only appropriate path forward as we continue to prioritize the health and safety of CMU."
Unlike classroom, residence hall and campus settings, the field of competition rarely allows for safe social distancing and may complicate the use of masks or face coverings. University leaders postponed the season in an effort to reduce the likelihood of virus transmission among student-athletes, coaches, fans and others. Fall sports impacted by the conference's decision are football, volleyball, women's soccer, field hockey, men's and women's cross country.
In a statement, Michael Alford, CMU's Zyzelewski Family Associate Vice President/Director of Athletics addressed support for Central's student-athletes.
"We will continue to work with national and conference leadership as we begin planning for fall sports opportunities to take place this spring," Alford said. "We are committed to ensuring they have a successful academic year and remain on track for one of their, and our, primary goals – graduating from Central Michigan University."
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.
