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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Provost names next EHS dean

by Sanjay Gupta

CMU Provost Mary C. Schutten has named Paula Lancaster the next dean of the College of Education and Human Services.

Central Michigan University Provost Mary C. Schutten has named Paula Lancaster the next dean of the College of Education and Human Services. Lancaster will replace Betty Kirby, who is retiring effective June 30.

Lancaster comes to CMU from Grand Valley State University, where since 2015 she served as director of teacher education in GVSU's College of Education and inaugural chair of the university's department of teaching and learning.

As chair, Lancaster directed all curricula and programs, supervised and mentored faculty, oversaw strategic planning, and increased the number of hybrid and online course offerings for students. From 2008-15, she was inaugural chair of GVSU's special education, foundations and technology department within the College of Education. She also is a co-principal investigator for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation's Battle Creek Transformation Project.

"Dr. Lancaster is an excellent addition to our leadership team as CMU embarks on a strategic envisioning process," Schutten said. "Her strong background in strategic planning will serve her college and the university well."

Lancaster earned a doctorate in special education from the University of Kansas, a master's degree in education from Northern Illinois University and a bachelor's degree in special education from Western Illinois University.

She will provide leadership for all operations and programs within CEHS. She also will serve on the Council of Deans, Academic Senate and Academic Planning Council.

Jane Davison, acting dean of the College of Science and Engineering, chaired the 11-member dean search committee, assisted by search firm Storbeck/Pimentel & Associates.

Kirby was appointed dean July 1, 2019, after serving as interim dean since July 1, 2018. She was acting dean in 2016-17 and also served as senior associate dean of the college and director of professional education.