Start a New Business in South Dakota

The business division of the Secretary of State’s office helps business owners organize and register their business.

Resources include South Dakota Business Portal, New Business Checklist, South Dakota Department of Revenue Business Taxes, South Dakota Small Business Development Center, IRS Tax Information for Business, IRS Tax Information for Charities and Nonprofits, and IRS FEIN Information.

215 East Prospect Avenue
Pierre, South Dakota 57501
Phone: 605-773-4845

South Dakota Secretary of State Business Division website

The South Dakota SBA is supported by its district office in Sioux Falls. 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 Sioux Falls office serves the entire state of South Dakota.

Examples of educational programs and events include Grow Your Sales Through Trade; Selling to Brazil; Financing a Business Purchase; and Doing Busines with the National Park Service.

200 North Phillips Avenue
Suite L101
Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57104
Phone: 605-330-4243

South Dakota Small Business Administration SBA website

The South Dakota Small Business Development Center (SBDC) helps new entrepreneurs realize their dream of business ownership and assists existing businesses in their efforts to remain competitive.

Formed in 1985, the South Dakota SBDC has helped clients obtain more than $1.8 Billion in financing since 1998, leading to the creation or preservation of thousands of jobs within the state. SBDC services enable South Dakota’s entrepreneurs to make better, more informed business decisions, to avoid costly mistakes, and to prepare thorough and complete business plans needed both to obtain financing and to effectively manage their venues.

Small Business Development Center
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Phone: 605-275-7575

Small Business Development Center
Aberdeen, South Dakota
Phone: 605-698-7654 ext. 5

Small Business Development Center
Rapid City, South Dakota
Phone: 605) 394-5311

Small Business Development Center
Yankton, South Dakota
Phone: 605-665-0751

Small Business Development Center
Pierre, South Dakota
Phone: 605-773-2783

South Dakota Small Business Development Center SBDC website

SCORE South Dakota volunteer mentors are experienced entrepreneurs who volunteer their experience and knowledge to help small business professionals start and grow businesses and improve their profitability. The Sioux Falls office offers free business advice, low-cost or no-cost business training, and numerous templates and tools.

SCORE volunteers 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.

Examples of upcoming event topics include, Is LinkedIn an Effective Marketing Tool for Small Businesses, Online Workshop: Insurance Questions Answered, and Year-End Tax Planning for Your Business for 2023.

SCORE South Dakota
Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57107
Phone: 605-280-3642

SCORE South Dakota website

The SD CEO West Women’s Business Center focuses on empowering aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners in both business and life.

Through in-person and virtual workshops and webinars to networking events, conferences, and 1:1 free and confidential advising, SD CEO West is here to help you succeed.

Every day you are taking steps towards achieving your business dreams, and sometimes knowing which steps to take can be daunting. SD CEO can equip you with the skills and knowledge to move forward with confidence.

Black Hills State University
1200 University Street
Unit 9511
Spearfish, South Dakota 57799
Office Location: Woodburn 216
Phone: 605-642-6948

SD CEO Women’s Business Center website

Sioux Falls Business & Professional Women is comprised of working women in all positions including business owners, corporate executives and elected officials who share the overall goal to build powerful women. Membership benefits include:

•Connecting with mentors, colleagues, and friends who can assist you in advancing your career and making the right connection.

•Thriving professionally with an organization that supports women through career transitions and at different levels of industry.

•Staying informed on the latest issues impacting women with a local monthly newsletter, email alerts/online news feeds and exclusive member access to resources on the SF/BPW website.

•Becoming aware of and receiving invitations to local events and educational opportunities associated with SF/BPW.

PO Box 1773
Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57101
Phone: 605-630-5105

Sioux Falls Business & Professional Women 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. Investors make 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.

United States Small Business Administration SBA Funding website

The Enterprise Institute is a private, nonprofit corporation that provides customized business development, commercialization, and market research services to entrepreneurs, investors, and startup companies in South Dakota.

The Enterprise Institute is credited with formalizing angel investing in South Dakota by organizing and administering angel investment funds. These funds provide early-stage capital to emerging growth companies in the region.

Each fund below accepts applications from high-growth, high-potential companies that are seeking equity funding. These funds are looking to invest in companies that are scalable and are typically differentiated based on some technology or first mover advantage.

• Black Hills Regional Angel Fund III, LLC based in Rapid City, South Dakota.

• Falls Angel Fund III, LLC based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

• Hub City Capital, LLC based in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

• Park Capital Fund I, LLC based in Brookings, South Dakota.

The angel investment funds don't invest in retail stores, restaurants, food trucks, service-based business, real estate projects, or other non-scalable business models. The funds are focused on companies headquartered or operating in South Dakota and will at times make exceptions for companies in neighboring states.

Brookings Office:
2301 Research Park Way
Suite 146
Brookings, South Dakota 57006

Sioux Falls Office:
100 East 6th Street
Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57104

South Dakota Enterprise Institute SDEI website

At University of South Dakota Beacom School of Business, professors are experienced in all kinds of business, from high-powered corporations to scrappy startups, and use that experience to help students gain entry into whatever career path they choose.

Undergraduate programs include Business Administration, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Digital Marketing, Legal Studies in Business, Small Business Entrepreneurship, Human Resource Management, Management, and Sustainability in Business. Graduate programs include Business Administration, Business Leadership, and Marketing.

Beacom School of Business
Beacom Hall, Room 124
414 East Clark Street
Vermillion, South Dakota 57069
Phone: 605-677-5455

University of South Dakota Beacom School of Business website

The Ness School of Management and Economics offers students a broad range of courses in economics and related business disciplines, including finance, accounting, entrepreneurship, strategic management and marketing.

The Ness School of Management and Economics conducts research in economics (applied micro- and macroeconomics, money and banking and policy analysis), agricultural economics and agribusiness (agricultural marketing and trade, farm and ranch management, land valuation, agricultural policy and rural development and natural resources/environmental issues), and business economics (entrepreneurship, finance, management and marketing) and provides extension, outreach and general service programs in economics, management and taxation.

1451 Stadium Road
Brookings, South Dakota 57007
Phone: 605-688-4121

South Dakota State University Ness School of Management and Economics website

University of Sioux Falls offers several options for specializing your bachelor’s degree in business administration:

• Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration

  • Minor in Accounting, Economics, Entrepreneurial Studies, Finance, Health Services, International Business, Management, Marketing, Associate of Arts degree in Business Administration, Business Certificate

• An Entrepreneurial Studies Minor includes courses in:

  • Entrepreneurial Mindset

  • Entrepreneurial Dynamics

  • Entrepreneurial Sales and Marketing

  • Business Modeling & Finance

  • Business Plan Development

1101 West 22nd Street
Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57105
Phone: 800-888-1047

University of Sioux Falls Business Administration Center for Professional Development website

South Dakota Magazine explores the state, looking for interesting people and places that define the state’s culture, heritage, arts, nature and communities.

South Dakota Magazine is one of the Midwest's largest publications, with more than 164,000 readers per issue.

Article topics include featured business focus, top stories, business events, small business, and more.

410 E 3rd Street
Yankton, South Dakota 57078
Phone: 605-665-6655

South Dakota Magazine Business website

SiouxFalls.Business is a locally owned digital news organization serving the Sioux Falls business community. Its mission is to inform, connect, and engage the Sioux Falls business community through content and experiences.

Features include retail, real estate, food and drink, people, events, the corner office, healthcare, thought leaders, and more.

The Carpenter Building
221 S. Phillips Avenue
Suite 205
Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57104
Phone: 605-201-3662

SiouxFalls.Business website

The Business Journal focuses on the business community in the greater Sioux Falls area. The editorial focus includes real estate, healthcare, restaurants, the latest news, business management, construction, and more.

Phone: 800-952-0127

Sioux Falls Business Journal website