Microsoft News Tracker

As announced in January, today is the Microsoft’s first Small Business Summit. Press release:

More than 12,000 small-business customers and partners are expected to participate in Microsoft Corp.’s inaugural Small Business Summit taking place today in Bellevue, Wash., and via more than 40 webcasts this week on subjects important to small businesses, including financial management, sales and marketing, computer security, productivity, and mobility. Themed Take Your Business to the Next Level, the summit brings together small-business experts — such as well-known entrepreneurs Maxine Clark, CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop, and Keith Ferrazzi, CEO of Ferrazzi Greenlight Inc. — to discuss best practices for small businesses to thrive.

The event demonstrates Microsoft’s passion for listening to customer and partner feedback and responding with solutions and resources that help meet the needs of small businesses. In addition, several other announcements Microsoft is making support the strategy, including a new financing option to make it easier than ever for small businesses to purchase technology solutions, and the availability of Microsoft® Point of Sale, a solution for small-business retailers now on shelves at Best Buy that is part of an expanded relationship with the Minneapolis-based retail company.

The new financing option and the Best Buy deal merited their own press releases. Everyone loves small business these days - even IBM is trying to lumber into the game with $50,000 consulting packages.