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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: Dec. 2-8

      by Aaron Mills

      Some of the top photos from Central Michigan University events and activities during the week of Dec. 2-8 as captured by University Communications.

      A view from behind of President MacKinnon holding a tiny mic up to a student.
      President MacKinnon connects with students while chatting about their winter break plans.
      Nine CMU students pose for a photo in the student food pantry.
      Student volunteers help keep the university’s food pantry stocked and ready to support the campus community.
      Four students pose for a photo while standing next to a table that has hundreds of stickers sitting on top of it.
      Pi Sigma Epsilon hosts a sticker sale fundraiser.
      A man and woman stand in an atrium holding coffee and talking.
      Faculty, staff and students come together to build community over cocoa and coffee.
      The CMU seal surrounded by snow on a sunny day.
      The first major snowfall of the season coats the CMU seal.
      In an auditorium, a young woman stands at a podium giving a presentation.
      Students read their literature publications from the fall issue of Central Review.

       

      Questions?