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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President Davies named to new Michigan Workforce Development Board

by Sanjna Jassi

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has appointed CMU President Bob Davies to the newly created Michigan Workforce Development Board.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has appointed Central Michigan University President Bob Davies to the newly created Michigan Workforce Development Board.

Whitmer on Friday signed an executive order to create the board, designed to shape policy initiatives to expand the state's workforce, economy and education opportunities.

Key priorities include:

Achieving the goal of 60% of the workforce having a postsecondary education by 2030.
Tuition-free community college for adults age 25 and older.
Grants for employers to train employees with new skills.

"Institutions of higher education have an important role to play in equipping students — at any and every point in their career journey — for success in the modern workplace," Davies said. "Colleges and universities must work collaboratively with our private and public sector partners to identify and pursue goals that will drive innovation, improve our economic outlook and propel our state forward."

The board will seek input from business, civic and educational leaders across the state.

"We must all work together to ensure paths to opportunity for everyone," Whitmer said in her announcement. "This board will be vital in continuing our efforts to grow both our workforce and our economy.

"These leaders will be instrumental in bringing together efforts and partners from key industries."

Jeff Donofrio, director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, will lead the panel, composed of 20 leaders in business, labor, government and education.

Majority leaders of the Michigan Senate and House of Representatives also will appoint a senator and representative to the board, while state House and Senate minority leaders each will appoint a senator and representative to serve in a nonvoting capacity.