The State of Wyoming has been ranked second in the nation in entrepreneurial startup activity by the New Kaufman Index of Entrepreneurship.  Governor Matt Mead announced the news at the Wyoming Global Tech Summit in Jackson on Saturday.

“The information in the report confirms that Wyoming is a great place to start a business,” the Governor said.  The new ranking has Wyoming up four spots from last year, second only to Montana.  Wyoming’s startup density, or the number of startup firms per 100,000 residents, is the second-highest in the nation behind North Dakota.

Governor Mead cited the e2e Wyoming entrepreneurial network, the Wyoming Business Technology Center (with locations in Casper, Sheridan, and Laramie), and the Unified Network as outstanding examples of state initiatives that are giving new businesses a leg up.

According to Kauffman.org, the Kauffman Index has been trusted as an early indicator for entrepreneurship in the U.S. for the past ten years.  Western states faired particularly well in the rate of new entrepreneurs in the 2015 Index.  One of the studies’ authors, Arnobio Morelix, says that “entrepreneurship is closely associated with economic growth, so it should not be surprising that some of the states seeing increased levels of startup activity have experienced high rates of real GDP expansion in recent years.”

“Our tax and regulatory structure are some of the best in the nation.  I will continue to do all I can to promote Wyoming as a world-class center for innovation, research, commercialization and business development,” said Governor Mead on Saturday.

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