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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.

      The week in photos: April 1-7

      by User Not Found

      Some of the top photos from Central Michigan University events and activities during the week of April 1-7 as captured by University Communications.

      A male student in a white outfit takes part in the first Indian dance competition as a crowd of people watch.
      Multicultural Academic Student Services and Chamakta Central hosted CMU’s first Indian dance competition in the Bovee University Center rotunda.
      Faculty member Ian Mull speaks with a group of three students in a classroom.
      Faculty advisor Ian Mull offers guidance to student producers of the Threads fashion showcase at their full dress rehearsal.
      A CMU fashion student poses under a spotlight while wearing one of her designs.
      A student in the Fashion, Merchandising & Design program takes part in the annual Threads fashion showcase in Finch Fieldhouse. The event, which is student-led and student-designed, draws fashion employers looking to hire - including brands like Kohl’s and Torrid.
      Faculty member Shay Dawson stands in front of a classroom full of students in the CMU College of Medicine.
      Faculty member Shay Dawson presents to students inside a lecture hall in the College of Medicine. Dawson was recently awarded the 2024 Distinguished Professor of the Year award by the Michigan Association of State Universities.

       

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      Questions?

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