Ohio highly rated for new entrepreneurs

E ntrepreneurs hoping to get their business off the ground can look to the Buckeye State for support and the right climate, according to the Ohio Business Development Coalition – a nonprofit which markets the state's entrepreneurial markets.

The acknowledgement follows the rating of Ohio as one of the 10 best entrepreneur and tax-friendly states by the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council. The state's programs, access to markets and capital and favorable start-up costs make it a desirable destination for small business owners.

"Ohio offers young entrepreneurs all they need to succeed, including access to knowledge, capital and skilled labor, an extensive supply chain and markets for goods and services," said Ed Burghard, executive director of the Ohio Business Development Coalition.

The recognition comes after a November announcement by the Association of Small Business Development Centers which accredited the Ohio Department of Development's Small Business Development Centers. That distinction is important in order to receive federal funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Business Journal Daily reported. crease hiring in 2011, while another 70 percent plan to add staff over the next five years.