Show Me Jobs report: Young firms created 44,000 jobs, drove majority of Missouri hiring in 2018

September 18, 2019  |  Rashi Shrivastava

Startup Crawl CoMo 2017; photo courtesy of Emma Rhyner, Missouri Business Alert

Startups created more than 44,000 jobs in Missouri in 2018, accounting for nearly 80 percent of all new jobs in the state, according to a new report from MOSourceLink.

The Show Me Jobs report is a broader version of a similar report focused on the Kansas City market. MOSourceLink, a nonprofit resource provider for entrepreneurs and small businesses across the state, compiled the report based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages.

“When we were able to tell people how many jobs were created by small firms in Kansas City, it really made a difference in terms of inspiring other people to think about entrepreneurship and to generate support for entrepreneurs in the community,” said Kate Hodel, who works on special projects for MOSourceLink.

Click here to read the full report.

The report defined startups as first-time employers that have fewer than 20 employees. It presented data related to job creation, wages and the industry concentration of early-stage companies in Missouri.

First-time employers created more than 190,000 jobs in the last four years, according to the report. That accounted for about four of every five new jobs in the state and 7 percent of total employment in Missouri.

Jobs created by the tech sector continued to grow since 2014, the data revealed. Last year, new tech firms created more than 2,000 jobs, which was higher than the average between 2014 and 2018. Tech firms also paid wages that were about $50,000 more than the state’s average wage.

Missouri was home to more than 19,000 startups in 2018, the report said. Though clustered in high-population regions like Kansas City and St. Louis, new jobs were distributed across the state. As of 2018, the health care and social assistance industry produced the most startups.

“I think it’s important to realize that these jobs are being created all across the state, by all different kinds of businesses,” Hodel said.

This story was produced through a collaboration between Missouri Business Alert and Startland News.

startland-tip-jar

TIP JAR

Did you enjoy this post? Show your support by becoming a member or buying us a coffee.

Tagged , , ,
Featured Business
    Featured Founder

      2019 Startups to Watch

        stats here

        Related Posts on Startland News

        Business on the rebound: KC entrepreneur brings platform for buying authentic jerseys back from the ice

        By Tommy Felts | April 22, 2025

        A new player in Kansas City is shaking up the sports memorabilia scene. Aidan Scurato is breathing new life into Rebound Jerseys, a once-dormant Canadian marketplace for hockey jerseys — transforming it into a trusted platform for buying and selling authenticated gear. “I love sports, and there’s a ton of counterfeit items in the sports,…

        Fortune 500 company says it’s bringing 2,000 jobs paying $100K to OP’s former Sprint campus

        By Tommy Felts | April 22, 2025

        No better proof that ‘Kansas City has the capacity and competitiveness to meet this moment’ A globe-spanning fintech leader’s plan to create a new strategic hub in Overland Park is expected to include a $4 billion payroll investment in the Kansas City region over the next decade, the company said this week. Milwaukee-based Fiserv officially…

        Why executing even the greatest startup idea first requires sales (and beyond-superficial curiosity)

        By Tommy Felts | April 22, 2025

        That sexy pitch alone might not get your startup its first customer, said Lee Walter, noting that lasting success relies heavily on jumping outside the vaunted “ideation” phase to truly question a venture’s value. Walter’s revelation — born from a sales career that stretched from selling school lockers and coffee beans to commercial espresso machines…

        Mr K finalist reveal: Meet the 10 contenders for KC Chamber’s Small Business of the Year

        By Tommy Felts | April 18, 2025

        The KC Chamber just announced the 10 finalists for its prestigious 2025 Small Business of the Year honor — setting the stage for a two-month campaign for selected entrepreneurs that ends this summer with one company crowned the Mr. K Award winner. “Small businesses remain the driving force of Kansas City’s economy, and we couldn’t…