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.

Learn more

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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US News & World Report ranks CMU College of Medicine in top 20 for serving in rural and underserved areas

by Kelly Belcher

The Central Michigan University College of Medicine has earned a place among the top 20 medical schools in the country for placing graduates in rural areas and in health professional shortage areas according to the most recent US News & World Report. This is a tremendous and unprecedented accomplishment for a young medical school that has been established for just over 12 years. These results are a strong testament to the College’s mission-driven commitment to serving underserved communities.

The 2025 survey included 170 medical schools and showed an impressive increase in ranking over the College’s already remarkable results in 2024. The CMU College of Medicine moved from #43 to #20 for placing graduates in rural areas and jumped from #67 to #17 for placing graduates in health professional shortage areas (HPSAs). The College also maintained a high ranking of #52 for placing graduates into primary care positions.

2024 to 2025 comparison

Ranked #17 of 170 (up from #67) for placing graduates in HPSAs.
Ranked #20 of 170 (up from #43) for placing graduates in rural areas.
Maintained rank of#52 of 170 for placing graduates in primary care positions.

“This is more than a ranking; this is a reflection of who we are,” said George E. Kikano, M.D., dean of the College and executive vice president for Health Affairs at CMU. “To be recognized nationally for putting physicians in areas where they are needed most is a powerful validation of our mission and the devotion of our students. It is an immense source of pride to see our students match into residencies and go on to serve in communities that struggle to provide adequate health care access to meet the demand. These learners live our mission and they are our legacy. Now, as I prepare to transition out of my role after 10 years, I am honored to have led such an amazing team of faculty and staff and I am confident that the institution is on the path toward longstanding excellence.”

In 2024, the US News & World Report survey made a significant adjustment to its methodology to include a focus on social mobility and an emphasis on student outcomes. The survey results are based on objective data gathered from schools across the nation. You can learn more about how the rankings were calculated here.

The College’s upward movement in the rankings can be attributed to strategic partnerships with rural health systems, a focus on primary care and community-based learning, and intentional recruitment of students passionate about making a difference in medically underserved areas. It comes on the heels of an outstanding 100% residency match rate for the Class of 2025. This is the second year in a row that the College’s graduating class has achieved a 100% match, demonstrating the strength of the College’s program and the demand for its graduates nationwide.