Georgia is Open for New Business

A new report by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce ranks all 50 states for entrepreneurship and innovation, as measured by the number of high-tech businesses in the state, programs that support entrepreneurs, and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) job concentration.

Georgia is ranked the 9th best state for starting a small business.

According to the report on Georgia, Atlanta is relatively active city for venture capital, with 54 startups getting money in 2012, according to the National Venture Capital Association, the venture-capital industry association. The capital city’s co-working space, The Atlanta Tech Village, has a waiting list of more than 100 people, a sign of the city’s active startup culture. Also, the Georgia Department of Economic Development runs a training program called Entrepreneur-Friendly Communities where it teaches local communities how to encourage and foster small-business growth.

States ranking above Georgia include Maryland, Colorado, Virginia, Utah, Massachusetts, Texas, Washington, and Arizona.