Business center names Michigan 50 Companies to Watch

The Michigan Small Business Development Center, located in the Seidman College of Business at Grand Valley State University, has announced its annual “Michigan 50 Companies to Watch.”

Leaders from the companies will be honored May 4 in Lansing during the 13th Annual Michigan Celebrates Small Business awards dinner. Ten of the 50 companies on the list are located in West Michigan. 

Judges from the banking, economic development, entrepreneurship development and venture capital communities selected the winners. Companies were judged on employee or sales growth, entrepreneurial leadership and sustainable competitive advantage.

“The companies selected this year give us an understanding of Michigan’s successful entrepreneurial ecosystem,” said Jennifer Deamud, director of Michigan Celebrates Small Business and associate state director of the Michigan Small Business Development Center. “These companies are significant drivers of our economy. In addition, they play a critical role in their communities as job creators.”

Companies nominated must be second-stage companies, defined as having six-to-99 full-time-equivalent employees and generating $750,000-$50 million in annual revenue or working capital from investors or grants. The companies must be privately held and headquartered in Michigan.

Michigan Celebrates Small Business will be presenting two new awards: The Strategically Focused Award and Most Engaged Workplace Award.

Tickets are available for $135 per person or attendees can reserve a table of eight for $900. Tickets can be purchased online at www.MichiganCelebrates.biz.

Michigan Celebrates Small Business is a partnership of the Michigan Small Business Development Center (Michigan SBDC), Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), the Edward Lowe Foundation, Small Business Association of Michigan, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Michigan Business Network. 

Michigan Celebrates Small Business is made possible with support from Consumers Energy, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Goldman Sachs, Comcast Business, DTE Energy, AF Group, Rehmann, PNC Bank, Varnum Law, Michigan Credit Union League, 307 Events and Dynamic Edge, Inc. 

For more information, contact Jennifer Deamud, MI-SBDC, at (616) 295-6232 or [email protected].