A group of entrepreneurs recently won the top prize at a competition aimed at supporting the creation of new businesses and supporting fledgling companies across Michigan. MLive hosted Startup Weekend Kalamazoo, which pitted four teams of prospective business people against each other and recognized the potential of each team's business idea. The event's panel included regional business leaders with Michigan firms like Blue Granite, Maestro and MLive.
Compuware co-founder sues firm over contract dispute
One of the men who founded a successful Michigan business recently filed a lawsuit accusing the firm of wrongfully canceling his ongoing consulting contract and seizing millions of dollars' worth of stock options in the company. The 70-year-old plaintiff, formerly Compuware's CEO, asserts that executives at Compuware acted illegally when they decided to terminate his $600,000 yearly employment contract.
Experts espouse benefits of delaying business plans
Michigan residents who have ever started or attempted to fund their own businesses likely spend hours crafting and tweaking their business plans in the hope attracting the interest of investors and consumers. Many such individuals have found success by comprehensively detailing their goals, showing how their ideas could take advantage of a lucrative market and making financial projections. However, an increasing number of business experts are turning away from traditional business plans in favor of less conventional methods.
Michigan group accuses government agency of unfair selection
A Michigan company has filed a lawsuit against a municipal organization, alleging that the group rigged the competitive bid process or a workforce development services contract. The plaintiff, Human Investment and Development Corporation, alleges that the Genesee/Shiawassee Michigan Works group used unfair business practices when it chose another company to perform the development activities. The suit argues that the municipal agency, which had been known as Career Alliance, gave the $2.1 million contract to Action Management only after Michigan Works stopped using a blind bid process.
Employer wins in noncompete lawsuit
Many companies now insist on noncompete clauses as part of their employment contracts, and a local man has been ordered to pay his former employer after violating his. The agreement the man signed was meant to prevent him from being an owner or operator of any restaurants in specific counties where competition with his employer might occur for a period of five years. However, two months following his resignation, the man opened two restaurants in the area.
