The 7 Best States to Start a Business
Ranking the states based on how friendly they are to entrepreneurs

When it comes to starting a business, the question of "where" can be just as important as "what," "why," and "how." Some states offer better business climates for entrepreneurs than others. And in today's economy, entrepreneurs need all the help they can get when launching a new business.

U.S. News decided to look at two comprehensive studies that take completely different approaches to measuring the friendliness of the 50 states to entrepreneurs: the
2008 New State Economy Index, by the Kauffman Foundation and the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, and the Small Business Survival Index 2008, by the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council. 

They combined the rankings of these two studies to help come up with their list of the top seven states for starting a business. Click here to learn what they found.

Nevada Ranks #2 in Business Survival Index 
December 9, 2008--The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) released its 13th annual rankings of the states according to their public policy climates for small business and entrepreneurship in the "
Small Business Survival Index 2008: Ranking the Policy Environment for Entrepreneurship Across the Nation."

SBE Council chief economist Raymond J. Keating, author of the study, said: "The U.S. economy is in a serious downturn, and the outlook for a robust recovery seems remote. That means state and local policymakers face some very difficult decisions, especially on budget matters. Depending on the policy course that state lawmakers choose, they can either make the economic situation in their own state better or far worse."

In terms of their policy environments, the most entrepreneur-friendly states under the "Small Business Survival Index 2008" are: 1) South Dakota, 2) Nevada, 3) Wyoming, 4) Florida, 5) Washington, 6) Texas, 7) South Carolina, 8) Alabama, 9) Virginia, and 10) Colorado. The more difficult state policy environments for entrepreneurs include: 40) West Virginia, 41) Hawaii, 42) Iowa, 43) Vermont, 44) Massachusetts, 45) New York, 46) Minnesota, 47) Rhode Island, 48) Maine, 49) California, 50) New Jersey and 51) District of Columbia.

What CEOs are saying about Nevada
When Development Counsellors International (DCI) conducted its survey last summer, CEOs ranked Nevada as the 5th best business climate in the U.S. 
Click here to read what CEOs are saying about Nevada.  To download a copy of the full report, visit DCI's website by clicking here.

 
 
 
Doing Business in Nevada
Venture and Risk Capital

Nevada Funding Sources:

Atalanta Investment Company
601 Fairview Blvd.
Incline Village, NV 89451
702-833-1836 (voice)
702-833-1890 (fax) 
.
Berkshire Bridge Capital, LLC
Robert Lind
Managing Partner
11431 Morning Glory Drive
Las Vegas NV 89135
(818) 790-7007
[email protected]
.
Dauntless Capital Partners LLC
Later Stage Private Equity Investor
David Teed
6965 Emerald Springs Lane
Las Vegas, NV, 89113
(702) 622 8247
[email protected]  
http://www.dauntlesscapital.com/
.
Desert Frost Ventures
Scott Frost
(702) 523-1208
[email protected]
http://www.desertfrostventures.com/

First Capital
Jeffrey Jacobs
1000 N. Green Valley Parkway
Henderson NV 89074
(702)914-0455
[email protected]
www.firstcapital.com

The McLean Group LLC
Richard Wait, CPA, CVA
Scott Wait, CPA
6566 S. McCarran Blvd., Ste A
Reno, NV 89509
(775)825-7637
[email protected]
[email protected]

http://www.mcleanllc.com/
.
Nevada Ventures, LLC
Robb Smith
Managing Partner
4781 Caughlin Parkway
Reno, NV 89509
(775) 216-1760
[email protected]
http://www.nevadaventures.com/
.
Private Equity Partners
(Funding size of $10 million or more) 
Mark Sullivan
978 Tyner Way
Incline Village, NV 89451
(775) 831-8688
[email protected]
http://www.pepartners.com/
.
Redhills Ventures
(specializing in healthcare)
2620 Regatta Drive
Suite 208 B
Las Vegas, NV 89128 
(702) 233-2160
[email protected]
[email protected] 
.
Sierra Angels
(Serving Northern Nevada)
Bob Goff
(775) 831-7804
[email protected]
http://www.sierraangels.com/
.
Sierra Capital Resources, LLC
Jeff Sunderman
President & CFO
122 Ridge Street, Suite A
Reno, NV 89501-1938
(775) 787-3555
[email protected]
http://www.sierracapital.net/
.
Silver State Capital
(702) 227-1941
Suite 204 4560 S. Decatur
Las Vegas, NV 89103
.
Vegas Valley Angels
(Serving Southern Nevada)
Mike Ballard
(702) 444-3333
[email protected]
vegasvalleyangels.angelgroups.net 


Other Funding Sources


Golden Capital Network
Jon Gregory
President and CEO
120 W. Second Street, #4
Chico, CA 95928
(530) 893-8828
[email protected]
http://www.goldencapital.net/