SBA Joins President Obama to Simplify the Startup Process for Entrepreneurs

On Jun 30, 2015

You can’t fight city hall, but maybe you can persuade them to simplify and revamp the cumbersome rules and regulations that hamper thousands of entrepreneurs across America from starting their small businesses each year.

At least that’s what President Obama and the U.S. Small Business Administration are thinking with Startup in a Day, a new initiative calling for municipalities to change the process entrepreneurs and small business owners must shoulder in order to obtain the necessary licenses and permits needed to startup a business in their city or town.

Earlier this month, SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet joined the president in calling on mayors to make a pledge to streamline and consolidate all of the processes required to start a business into one easy–to-use-online tool.  “Our goal here is to enable America’s entrepreneurs to discover and apply for all city , county, state and federal licenses and permits needed to start a business in 24 hours or less,” said Contreras-Sweet.

According to SBA Regional Administrator Kellie LeDet, who oversees the agency’s programs and services for New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the SBA is offering 25 prizes of $50,000 each to cities that create or implement a solution that will make it easier for entrepreneurs to apply for all licenses and permits needed to start a small business in less than 24 hours.

In addition to the 25 prizes, the SBA is also offering one $250,000 prize to a winning applicant who creates an open-source solution that can be adopted by other jurisdictions. To help get the word out on the competition, the SBA has enlisted the help of the National League of Cities.to reach out to mayors across the country.

“Startup in a Day is a good way to engage cities in our region to look at the way they do business in their municipalities,” said LeDet. “We are looking for mayors throughout New Jersey to consider revamping, revising and streamlining the rules and regulations that create a business-friendly environment in their cities and towns. Less red tape and bureaucracy leads to more investment and economic development in our cities, and more development generates more ratables that help to produce income from property taxes that help spur economic growth in those communities.”

“There is a reason that a recent World Bank Study ranks America 46th in the ease of starting a business,” said LeDet.  “We can do better and we must do better.”

The deadline for cities to submit their Startup in a Day solutions or best practices is July 13, 2015.For additional information on Startup in a Day, visit www.sba.gov startup or email the Startup in A Day team at [email protected] with your questions.

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