These Are the 50 Best Places in America for Starting a Business

ewalsh • December 19, 2018

For full  Inc.com  coverage and related content, please click  here.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur plotting to launch a startup or a CEO strategizing where to put another office, knowing where the next hot city is would be a game changer. Should you expand to  Raleigh ? Would you attract better talent in  Austin  or  Atlanta ? With the new Surge Cities Index, Inc. and innovation policy company Startup Genome crunched the data to score and rank the top 50 metro areas in the U.S. on seven key indicators–from early-stage funding metrics to job creation. Finally, here’s the smartest way to answer the age-old question: Where should you go next?

No. 46
HARTFORD
Hartford gets its groove back by doubling down on manufacturing–and social impact startups.
Despite years of state budgetary woes, the Hartford area is on an upswing–thanks, in part, to a rebound in manufacturing. Aerospace company Pratt & Whitney can’t keep up with jet engine orders, and Otis Elevator does over $12.3 billion in net sales. Pioneering accelerator ReSet, which has a social impact focus, has graduated 100 area companies over the past five years. Toolmaker Stanley Black & Decker recently launched a manufacturing accelerator with Techstars. And Hartford–the “insurance capital of the world”–was named one of the state’s four Innovations Places, making it eligible for $2 million in matching funds, part of which it’s putting toward an accelerator aimed at insurance startups. –Hannah Wallace
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Transform Your Business This Fall: Applications Open for reSET's Retail Incubator and Digital Marketing Mastermind Programs Hartford, CT – July 17, 2024 – reSET, the Hartford-based entrepreneur support organization committed to nurturing businesses with a social mission, is excited to announce that applications are now open for two separate programs designed to help entrepreneurs grow with impact: the Retail Incubator and the Digital Marketing Mastermind. Both programs are set to run this fall, providing invaluable resources and mentorship to early-stage and established entrepreneurs alike. Applications close at midnight on July 21, with classes set to start mid-August and run through October. “Both of these programs were developed because of demand from our alumni and local entrepreneurs,” said Sarah Bodley, Executive Director of reSET. “The Retail Incubator has been popular with Hartford-area founders preparing for fall and holiday markets, or opening their own storefronts. We developed the Digital Marketing Mastermind to help local entrepreneurs build an online business presence and stand out in the online world.” Retail Incubator The Floor-Plan Retail Business Incubator is a partnership between reSET and Hartford-based Breakfast Lunch & Dinner, a community venture-building studio. Now in its fourth year, the program is designed to support product-based businesses in their stages of entrepreneurship. Participants will learn to understand customer needs, define pricing strategies, address key legal and financial topics, all to prepare their businesses for fall and winter markets. Entrepreneurs will gain insights from industry experts, access a supportive community, and receive practical tools to enhance their business acumen. For more information and to apply, please visit https://www.resetco.org/retail-incubator . Digital Marketing Mastermind The Digital Marketing Mastermind is tailored for entrepreneurs who already have a business and are looking to elevate their digital marketing efforts. This program will provide advanced strategies to boost online presence, engage with target audiences, and convert engagement into sales. Participants will learn from seasoned marketing professionals and peers, gaining the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive in the digital marketplace. Entrepreneurs interested in more information on the program and application should visit https://www.resetco.org/digital-marketing-mastermind About reSET reSET is a nonprofit organization in Hartford, CT, whose mission is advancing the social enterprise sector. reSET specializes in social enterprise ― impact-driven business with a double or triple bottom line. In addition to providing coworking space, accelerator, and mentoring programs, reSET aims to inspire innovation and community collaboration and to support entrepreneurs in creating market-based solutions to community challenges. reSET’s goal is to meet entrepreneurs wherever they are in their trajectory and to help them take their businesses to the next level. Visit reSET | Where Great Companies Grow (resetco.org). # # #
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