The small business incubator Central Michigan University Research Corporation has named the creators of a reoccurring billing software system as the recipients of its 2019 SmartZone Small Business of the Year award.
The CMURC board of directors has given the award to Keith Palmer and Ryan Bantz, co-creators of ChargeOver, an innovative invoicing system that saves companies time while also paying their customers faster.
Palmer and Bantz operated from the small business incubator’s Mt. Pleasant co-working facility.
"ChargeOver joined the CoWork community to surround themselves with the infrastructure and a support team," says Erin Strang, president and CEO of CMURC.
"The company was able to focus on the technology and grow the business with a location soon to be opened in downtown Mt. Pleasant."
The news of a downtown location isn’t the only news of expansion for ChargeOver. The company has been experiencing growth both at home and abroad.
ChargeOver is adding support for SEPA direct debit. The move enables customers in the Euro-zone to make direct bank transfer payments to European-based merchants.
In the States, ChargeOver adds GAAP-compliant revenue recognition and deferred revenue reporting, eliminating accounting complexities for businesses.
Palmer and Bantz credit the CMURC CoWork space with increasing the impact of their invoicing system, which they first created in 2012.
"By surrounding our company with professionals and like-minded tech entrepreneurs from the CMURC community, we have gained new insights and connections," says Palmer.
"We are honored to be selected for this award and to be part of a growing ecosystem in the region."
Palmer and Bantz will be recognized at the Michigan Celebrates Small Business awards gala in Lansing on May 13.
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