Start a New Business in Missouri

The business resources portal is a gateway to your business in Missouri, a one-stop shop for you to access online information on operating a business in this state. The site focuses on four key areas in business operations: research, registration, maintenance, and resources.

There is information to guide you through the procedures and regulations for starting a business, growing a business, and wrapping up a business. It also provides links to other state and federal agency websites with information on employment taxes, development, and capital raising programs and business consulting.

State of Missouri Business Resources Portal website

The Secretary of State’s Small Business Startup Guide provides a step by step understanding of the various types of entities that you could form when starting on your entrepreneurial journey, taxation issues, startup capital, liability concerns, delegation of management responsibilities, allocation and distribution of company income and profits, succession plans, limits on transfer of ownership, contract matters, and customer relations.

600 West Main Street
Jefferson City, Missouri 65101
Phone: 573-751-4936

Missouri Secretary of State Business Services website

The Missouri SBA is supported by two district offices, with a total of three offices across Missouri and Kansas. They provide services including funding programs, counseling, federal contracting, certifications, and disaster recovery. They can also connect you to partner organizations, lenders, and other community groups that help small businesses succeed.

The district office in Kansas City serves Allen, Anderson, Atchison, Bourbon, Brown, Cherokee, Coffey, Crawford, Doniphan, Douglas, Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Labette, Leavenworth, Linn, Marshall, Miami, Montgomery, Nemaha, Neosho, Osage, Pottawatomie, Shawnee, Wilson, Woodson, and Wyandotte counties in Kansas and Adair, Andrew, Atchison, Bates, Buchanan, Caldwell, Carroll, Cass, Chariton, Clay, Clinton, Cooper, Davies, DeKalb, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Henry, Holt, Howard, Jackson, Johnson, Lafayette, Linn, Livingston, Mercer, Nodaway, Pettis, Platte, Ray, Saline, Sullivan, and Worth counties in Missouri.

The additional office in Springfield serves Barry, Barton, Benton, Camden, Cedar, Christian, Dade, Dallas, Douglas, Greene, Hickory, Howell, Jasper, Laclede, Lawrence, McDonald, Morgan, Newton, Ozark, Polk, Pulaski, St. Clair, Stone, Taney, Texas, Vernon, Webster, and Wright counties in Missouri.

The second district office in St. Louis serves Audrain, Bollinger, Boone, Butler, Callaway, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Clark, Cole, Crawford, Dent, Dunklin, Franklin, Gasconade, Iron, Jefferson, Knox, Lewis, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, Maries, Marion, Miller, Mississippi, Moniteau, Monroe, Montgomery, New Madrid, Oregon, Osage, Pemiscot, Perry, Phelps, Pike, Putnam, Ralls, Randolph, Reynolds, Ripley, St. Charles, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, St. Louis, Schuyler, Scotland, Scott, Shannon, Shelby, Stoddard, Warren, Washington, and Wayne counties and the independent city of St. Louis.

Examples of educational activities and events include SBA Loan Programs; How to Make Your Black-Owned Business Attractive to Bankers; Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights; and Getting Started with Digital Advertising.

District office:
1000 Walnut Street
Suite 500
Kansas City, Missouri 64106
Phone: 816-426-4900

SBA District Office in Kansas City website

Additional location:
901 E. Saint Louis Street
Suite 704
Springfield, Missouri 65806
Phone: 417-501-0542

District office:
1222 Spruce Street
Suite 10.103
St. Louis, Missouri 63103
Phone: 314-539-6600

SBA District Office in St. Louis website

The Missouri Small Business Development Centers - M SBDC - help businesses in every stage. From concept to startup, growth to renewal, mature to succession, business specialists can help you succeed across your business’ lifecycle.

Missouri SBDC experts are conveniently located all across the state providing assistance and hosting events on a variety of business topics.

Business specialists use their expertise to help Missouri businesses with:

• critical business development issues.

• guidance addressing topics such as management, marketing, and strategic planning for new and existing businesses.

• one-on-one confidential counseling.

In addition to the Missouri SBDC location in Columbia, centers are located in Hannibal, Jefferson City, Joplin, Kansas City, Kirksville, Rolla, Sedalia, Springfield, St. Joseph, and St. Louis.

Missouri SBDC Lead Center
416 South 6th Street
Engineering Building N. Room 200
Columbia, Missouri 65211
Phone: 573-884-1555

Missouri Small Business Development Center website

The WBDC Missouri office in St. Louis supports and accelerates business development and growth, targeting women and serving all diverse business owners.

Coaching and education services include strategic one-on-one and group business advising, specialized cohort-based curricula and workshops, and digital learning.

Contract assistance is available for private sector procurement opportunities, public sector contracting assistance, and WBE (Women's Business Enterprise) certification.

Capital-related services include financial education, debt and equity placement, direct lending, and Kiva microlending.

20 South Sarah Street
St. Louis, Missouri 63108
Phone: 872-231-0158

Women’s Business Development Center website

The MoWBC is dedicated to breaking down barriers to entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial success with a focus on women-owned, minority-owned, and low-to-moderate income-based businesses. They assist entrepreneurs as you plan, start, build, and scale your business by providing accessible resources, programming, and whole health business coaching, at no cost..

From initial concepts to building a steady stream of economic resources, the organization’s mission is to break down the barriers that women and minorities face when owning and operating or growing a business.

500 East Walnut Street
Suite 103
Columbia, Missouri 65201

510 Market Street
Fulton, Missouri 65251

Phone: 573-818-2980

Missouri Women’s Business Center website

The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, Inc. Women’s Business Center is dedicated to providing micro-business development for aspiring entrepreneurs, with a primary focus on minority women in the community. Partnering with other institutions and community organizations, the Center is able to offer a variety of programs and services to further individuals’ aims of entrepreneurship. The WBC offers comprehensive services to support all stages of entrepreneurship,

6722 Page Avenue
St. Louis, Missouri 63133
Phone: 314-584-6700

Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis Women’s Business Center website

Dedicated to helping small businesses get off the ground

Whether you need help evaluating a new business idea or plan, stimulating business growth, or developing long-term stability, SCORE Southwest Missouri can help at little to no cost.

SCORE provides women entrepreneurs with a wealth of resources, templates, tools, and free expert mentoring to foster your business growth and development. The Women's Entrepreneur resource hub offers a comprehensive array of tailored materials and guidance to adeptly navigate through entrepreneurial challenges and opportunities.

Volunteers are successful real-world business professionals who are experts with experience in areas such as accounting, finance, human resources, consulting, import/export, law, operations, production, retail, wholesale, manufacturing, sales, marketing, management, business plan preparation, strategic planning, and many other business disciplines.

SCORE provides:

• volunteer mentors who share their expertise across many industries

• free, confidential business mentoring in person, via email, or by video

• free business tools, templates, and tips here online

• inexpensive or free business workshops

SCORE Southwest Missouri serves Springfield and the Greater Ozarks area.

405 N Jefferson Avenue
#1040j
Springfield, Missouri 65806
Phone: 417-986-4730

SCORE Southwest Missouri website

Professional Women’s Alliance or PWA provides a meeting ground for professional women to meaningfully connect and become indispensable resources to each other and the community through personal and professional development. Part of the mission of Professional Women’s Alliance is to provide resources to improve women’s careers, assist in making meaningful connections, and in finding leadership and professional development opportunities.

240 Preserve Park Place
Wentzville, Missouri 63385
Phone: 314-649-7921

Professional Women’s Alliance website

MOSourceLink’s mission is to help entrepreneurs and small businesses across the state of Missouri grow and succeed by providing free, easy access to the help you need – when you need it.

MOSourceLink connects entrepreneurs and small business owners with a network of nonprofit resource organizations that provide business-building services. Network resource partners provide a wide range of business-related services, including:

• Marketing

• Financial Planning

• Sales

• Loans

• Technology

• Product development

• Education

• Government contracts

• Operations

4747 Troost Avenue
Kansas City, Missouri 64110
Phone: 1-866-870-6500

MOSourceLink website

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps small businesses get the funding they need. Funding resources include:

Loans: Start or expand your business with loans guaranteed by the SBA.

Investment capital: Find an investor for your business that makes both debt and equity investments.

Disaster assistance: Get help after a disaster with low-interest disaster loans.

Surety bonds: Protect your work and your client with an SBA-guaranteed surety bond.

Grants: Look for government grants that help businesses do scientific research and development.

Small Business Administration SBA Funding Resources website

The Accelerator Fund was created by the Missouri Innovation Center to help entrepreneurs launch market-changing companies in the state of Missouri.

The accelerator fund provides early investment to selected companies who have a well-defined plan for a technology-based product or service. The Accelerator Fund leads investments of up to $50,000 to help a startup company create an initial product and/or launch their product or service.

Recipients can receive additional business services and mentoring at the Mid-MO Tech Incubator to more fully flesh out a business model and investment strategy. In exchange for the investment capital and business coaching, companies will be required to enter into a convertible note agreement or equity purchase agreement with the Accelerator Fund.

1601 S. Providence Road
Columbia, Missouri 65211
Phone: 573-884-0496

Missouri Innovation Center Accelerator Fund website

The Skandalaris Center team supports startups at all stages for all members of the WashU community.

6465 Forsyth Boulevard
Mallinckrodt 128
St. Louis, Missouri 63105
Phone: 314-935-9134

Washington University in St. Louis Skandalaris Center for Interdisciplinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship website

The Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI) focuses on developing and supporting student entrepreneurs. Housed in the Management Department within the Trulaske College of Business, the CEI's mission is to provide experiential learning opportunities and training beyond the classroom.

The Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation aims to ensure students have the resources, mentors, collaborators, and experiences that will enable them to have the best chance at launching a successful enterprise.

Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business
Cornell Hall
Columbia, Missouri 65211
Phone: 573-882-6688

University of Missouri Trulaske College of Business Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation website

Missouri Business Magazine is designed to keep you up-to-date on all things Missouri business. Through business spotlights, editorials, legislative coverage and more, this publication provides you with information and insight when it comes to businesses of all sizes.

Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry
428 East Capitol Avenue
Jefferson City, Missouri 65101
Phone: 573-634-3511

Missouri Business Magazine website

In the St. Louis Business Journal you'll find the latest breaking business news, updated throughout the day, this week's top stories, and other popular features.

Featured topics include the Latest News, Lists and Leads, Commercial and Residential Real Estate, Banking, Technology, Healthcare, Food and Lifestyle, St. Louis Innovation, and more.

Old Post Office
815 Olive Street
Suite 100
St. Louis, Missouri 63101
Phone: 314-421-6200

St. Louis Business Journal website

B Magazine is a regional business publication that covers critical business news in Southeast Missouri, with smart and engaging storytelling. B Magazine's quality content helps readers become more knowledgeable about business issues and meet the people who are leading the way.

301 Broadway
PO Box 699
Cape Girardeau, Missouri 63702
Phone: 800-879-1210

B Magazine website

Locally owned, St. Louis Small Business Monthly provides readers with the latest business news and insights throughout the St. Louis Metro area. The counties served include St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Jefferson County, Madison County, and St. Clair County.

Presidents, owners, CEOs, CFOs, and other top decision-makers from closely-held, privately and/or multi-generational family owned companies, rely on SBM to keep them informed and in touch with the latest best practices, business advice, and inspirational trends that are helping businesses succeed.

2451 Executive Drive
Suite 109
St. Charles, Missouri 63303
Phone: 314-569-0076

St. Louis Small Business Monthly website