2 Execs Leaving Microsoft for Start-Ups

Microsoft Corp. said that Brad Silverberg, who led the development of Windows 95 and Internet Explorer, and Rob Bennett, marketing director for MSN, resigned to work with small, start-up companies. Separately, the software giant said it agreed to buy closely held Entropic Inc. for an undisclosed amount of cash, adding to its speech-recognition software products. Washington, D.C.-based Entropic, which employs about 60 people, is best known for the speech research and development software tools ESPS/waves+ and HTK. Silverberg said he wanted to devote more time to his family and mentor start-up companies. Bennett said he would be moving to a Seattle-area start-up called Encoding.com, to be director of product management. Microsoft shares rose $2.69 to close at $92.56 on Nasdaq.