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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Science and Engineering dean selected

by Sanjna Jassi

Dr. David M. Ford will serve as Central Michigan University’s next dean of the College of Science and Engineering, effective June 15, 2021.

Dr. David M. Ford will serve as Central Michigan University's next dean of the College of Science and Engineering, effective June 15, 2021.

Mary C. Schutten, CMU's Executive Vice President and Provost, has named Ford to the position. He will replace Jane Davison, who has been interim dean since May 2020.

"Dr. Ford is a proven research-focused leader who will prioritize real-world success for our students," Schutten said. "We are excited to welcome him to the CMU team."

Ford is currently a professor and Kevin W. and Marie L. Brown Department Head Chair in the Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Arkansas. He has led federally funded programs to increase graduation rates for engineering transfer students and to re-envision the chemical engineering curriculum.

Ford earned a bachelor's degree from the University at Buffalo in New York and Master of Science in Engineering and doctoral degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, all in chemical engineering.

Ford's main research areas are statistical thermodynamics, simulations of molecular and colloidal systems, and membrane-based separations.

As dean, Ford will lead all operations and programs within the college and will serve on CMU's Council of Deans, Academic Senate and Academic Planning Council.

A 14-member committee led by College of Business Administration Dean Chris Moberg recommended Ford after a nationwide search assisted by search firm Greenwood Asher and Associates.