Report: Missouri is a top 10 state to launch a business
July 5, 2017 | Meghan LeVota
A recent study dubbed Missouri as one of the top 10 states to start a business.
The report was assembled by personal finance website WalletHub and aimed to determine which region held the most fertile grounds for launching an enterprise. Evaluating all 50 states’ business environments, access to resources and business costs, the report ranked Missouri No. 9.
WalletHub analysts determined these numbers by assessing 20 differently-weighted indicators of startup success — with business environment being the most critical to a state’s overall score.
Missouri earned its high ranking due to the state’s business environment, which was ranked No. 10 nationally. This metric was calculated by indicators such as startups per capita, five-year business survival rate, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation’s entrepreneurship index and more.
Although Missouri fared well overall, the state’s access to resources score is below average. This indicator is calculated via indicators such as financing accessibility, venture capital per capita and human capital availability.
Another area of improvement for Missouri is its total spending on incentives as a share of GDP. The Show Me State ranked 49 out of 50 in this metric, which is calculated by The New York Times’ database of government spending on business incentives.
Kansas nabbed an overall No. 34 ranking in the study. Although below Missouri, Kansas’ access to resources beat out the Show Me State.
Kansas’ business environment — No. 38 nationally — ranked significantly lower than Missouri’s. Yet the state’s access to resources and business costs yielded the Sunflower State a comfortable, middle rank.
North Dakota, Texas and Utah earned the top three spots, respectively.
To see the complete ranking, see the interactive map below.

2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Support without limits: Doctor duo flexes scrub design that’s a dream for women, mothers-to-be
A pair of Kansas City doctors diagnosed a chronic need in maternity and versatility care for women — turning to entrepreneurship to prescribe “bump to pump” comfort and flexibility through a new line of scrubs. “Being physicians, we want to continue to help people,” said Dr. Christine Khong, who co-founded Vervee Scrubs alongside Dr. Melanie…
Startup Weekend’s challenge: Build Missouri’s next billion-dollar idea (in three days)
COLUMBIA, Missouri — Budding entrepreneurs are gathering next month for a three-day business pitch event that could earn them $45,000 in prizes plus a $150,000 investment opportunity for the winning company with billion-dollar potential, organizers said. Missouri Startup Weekend returns April 11-13 at EquipmentShare’s newly opened Technology & Development Center in Columbia. It’s a unique…
Lawmaker asks SBA to relocate offices from KC to Columbia, citing sanctuary-like policies for immigrants
A Kansas City-area congressman wants the U.S. Small Business Administration to move its offices from downtown Kansas City to central Missouri, amid President Trump’s nationwide crackdown on undocumented immigrants and a broad restructuring of how the federal government works. U.S. Rep. Mark Alford, R-Missouri, on Tuesday sent a letter to SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler, asking…
