Entrepreneur Corner

Mi-SBTDC Provides Help, Guidance For Entrepreneurs, Small Business

GRAND RAPIDS - The Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center (MI-SBTDC) is a network of 12 Regional and 35 Satellite centers statewide that provide a full range of business development services for small businesses, typically companies between one and 50 employees, ranging from newly emerging companies through existing businesses. SBTDC is a partner program

By |2004-11-26T00:00:00-05:00November 26th, 2004|Archive, Entrepreneur Corner|

Business Plan Contest, Monthly Elevator Pitch Event Team Up

KALAMAZOO - The Great Lakes Entrepreneur's Quest and Kalamazoo Venture Tuesday will co-sponsor an hour-long Venture Capitalist Panel in December that will include a discussion of GLEQ?s fall business plan competition. The event is scheduled for Dec. 7 at the Southeast Michigan Innovation Center. The First Tuesday meeting, a series of elevator pitches by three

By |2004-11-18T00:00:00-05:00November 18th, 2004|Archive, Entrepreneur Corner|

National 3Q VC Investments Drop $1.6 Billion From 2Q

SAN FRANCISCO - Nationally, venture capital investing dipped in the third quarter of the year with investments of $4.3 billion going into 601 companies according to the MoneyTree Survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers, Thomson Venture Economics and the National Venture Capital Association, some $1.6 billion less than in the previous quarter. Over the past two years, quarterly

By |2004-11-11T00:00:00-05:00November 11th, 2004|Archive, Entrepreneur Corner|

Iserv Creates Acquisition Fund; Shopping For Distressed Midwest Technology Companies

GRAND RAPIDS ? The Iserv Co., which has aggressively been snapping up smaller Internet Service Providers, now has its sights set on acquiring distressed software and other technology companies. The company announced Wednesday that is had created the Iserv Technology Group to buy complementary technology companies in the Midwest. CEO Vice Shepherd would not say

By |2004-11-11T00:00:00-05:00November 11th, 2004|Archive, Entrepreneur Corner|

First Company For UM’s Wolverine Venture Fund Goes Public, Creates Million Dollar Pay Off

ANN ARBOR ? A $250,000 investment made by the University of Michigan?s Wolverine Venture Fund turned into a million dollar payday Thursday when a Life Sciences company developed from UM technology went public on Wall Street ? the first portfolio company to do so since the Fund was created in 1998. The company, called IntraLase,

By |2004-11-11T00:00:00-05:00November 11th, 2004|Archive, Entrepreneur Corner|

GLEQ Creates Executive Committee, Elects Board

ANN ARBOR ? The Great Lakes Entrepreneur?s Quest business-plan writing contest announced Tuesday a new governance structure, which includes a board of directors and a 10-member executive committee. This year?s GLEQ executive committee includes David Brenner (chair), managing partner of IdeaWorks Rajesh Kothari, managing director of Seneca Partners Mary Ann Alger, CFO Velcura Therapeutics Paul

By |2004-11-11T00:00:00-05:00November 11th, 2004|Archive, Entrepreneur Corner|

Dow Chemical’s DeMonte Becomes GLEQ’s First Executive Director

ANN ARBOR ? Dow Chemical?s loss is Great Lakes Entrepreneur Quest?s gain. Arthur DeMonte, the former Dow e-Business Center global director became the first ever executive director of GLEQ, the state-sponsored business plan writing contest, now entering its fifth year. DeMonte took the job Oct. 1. He?ll now be responsible for managing GLEQ and all

By |2004-11-11T00:00:00-05:00November 11th, 2004|Archive, Entrepreneur Corner|