So many reasons to start a business in Colorado

And, here's a Funding & Incentives Wizard and a list of reasons why from the Office of Economic Development:

 

Virtually every community in the country has something that they can point to that propels them to the top of some real or perceived hierarchy. The factor that makes Denver’s rankings enviably distinctive is that there are so many right at the top of anyone’s list of just about anything.

 

Colorado has nation’s lowest obesity prevalence among adults
(Trust for America’s Health, 2012)

 

Rank #2 in country in “Well-Being Index” (life situations, emotional health, physical health, healthy behaviors, work environment, and access to healthy living)
(Gallup and Healthways, 2012)

Denver is America’s healthiest city
Food & Wine magazine, 2012)

15 percent more people moved into Colorado than out
(Atlas Van Lines, 2012)

SMALL BUSINESS / ENTRPRENEURSHIP

Denver is #6 nationwide for high tech startup density
(Kauffman Foundation, 2013)

Colorado ranks #2 among “states most supportive of innovation”
(U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 2013)

Denver among America's top 10 cities for young entrepreneurs
(Under30CEO, 2013)

Best city for small business employees
(CardHub, 2013)

Colorado ranks 7th in “State Innovation Index”
(U.S. Department of Commerce, 2012)

Colorado ranks fifth in number of new businesses per 1,000 employees
(U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2012)

Denver is the 3rd best American city for startups
(VentureBeat, 2012)

Colorado ranks third in U.S. for proprietors as percentage of total employment
(U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2012)

Denver has more small businesses than most large cities; metro Denver is #3 among the largest 20 urban areas for having the fewest number of employees per business (14.38)
(American City Business Journals, 2011)

Metro Denver ranked 9th among the nation’s 100 largest markets for the number of new retail jobs
(American City Business Journals, 2012)

Colorado #1 in National Science Foundation funding; also tops State Technology and Science Index (STSI)
(Milken Institute, 2012)

Colorado ranks #3 nationwide in Small Business Innovation Research grants
(U.S. Small Business Administration, 2012)

Colorado ranks #3 nationwide in NASA Prime Contract awards
(National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2012)

Denver is ranked 13th in growth of women-owned firms
(American Express OPEN, 2012)

CLEAN TECH

Colorado ranks third most attractive state for renewable energy
(Ernst & Young, 2013)

Colorado #3 in deployment of energy-efficient buildings
(CleanEdge, 2012)

Colorado is #1 state in the nation in solar jobs per capita; #2 state in solar jobs overall
(The Solar Foundation, 2011)

Denver is the 5th greenest major city
(Canada Green City Index, 2011)

Downtown Denver has more than 50 LEED-certified buildings
(CoStar, 2012)

REAL ESTATE

Denver ranks in top 10 “least expensive” U.S. cities for cost of commercial space
(DTZ, London-based commercial property advisor, 2014)

Metro Denver ranked as the 2nd best residential real estate market among 20 major cities
(Case-Shiller Index, 2012)

Colorado is the nation’s third-most highly educated state for residents with a bachelor’s degree or higher
(U.S. Census Bureau, 2012)