STARTING A BUSINESS IN OHIO
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Region: Midwest
Capital City: Columbus
State Governor: Mike DeWine
Principal Cities: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Toledo
Charlette Voss: +49 162 240 1821
Corinne Hearne: +44 (0)7384 895232
Invest in Ohio. Find Opportunity Here.
There’s a place in the eastern region of the U.S., just below the Great Lakes with cities, natural resources and possibility. That place is Ohio. Ohio ranks among the world’s largest economies – rich with resources, technology, education, globally recognized companies and skilled Ohioans with a strong work ethic. From the very beginning, people have been the heartbeat of the state. Join us in transforming big ideas into reality.
JobsOhio is Ohio’s private economic development corporation and as such it focuses on business attraction, expansion, and retention in the state.
JobsOhio focuses on 10 private economic sectors and utilizes four strategies to drive economic development: Sites, Talent, Innovation, and Inclusion. In its first decade of existence, JobsOhio and its partners completed over 500 international projects involving $10B in capital invested and 30,000+ jobs.

Key Industries for starting an LLC in Ohio
There’s a place that offers the promise of growth, success and a very bright future.
That place is Ohio.
Ohio’s Economy - State Statistics
Population
Innovation districts
largest economy in the US
Foreign Trade Zones – largest presence in the Midwest
largest manufacturing workforce
students graduate from Ohio's higher education institutions annually
Fortune 1000 companies
Ohio universities rank in top 100 in the world for patents issued in the U.S. for new inventions
Ohio's Business Climate
Ohio is a top ten state for its business climate, economic outlook, regulatory environment, small business tax climate and workforce quality - making Ohio the perfect spot for starting an LLC.
2021 Ohio rankings
#2 CNBC’s “Cost of Doing Business” Rankings
#4 Site Selection Magazine Top Business Climate
#4 Site Selection Magazine for attraction of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
#7 Chief Executive’s Best States for Business
#7 CNBC’s “Access to Capital” Rankings
#9 Area Development’s Top States for Doing Business
#10 CNBC’s “Top States for Business” Rankings
Our Services that help you starting a Business in Ohio
- Basic market research in supply chain, incumbents and competition, availability, quality and cost of labor, taxation benchmarking, quality of life etc.
- Connection to the state main industry stakeholders: private, public, academic and R&D, clusters etc.
- Real estate options and cost: sites, existing buildings, office space.
- Hosting market visits when Ohio is a candidate for investment.
- Introduction to trustworthy legal and accounting firms as well as other needed service providers.
- Introduction to the relevant stakeholders for permitting
- Financial incentives: grants, loans, tax credits.
- Talent recruitment and retention services.
Ohio Taxes
- No state corporate income or profits tax
- No tax on products sold outside of Ohio
- No state tax on machinery and equipment investments
- No state tax on R&D investments
- Only one state business tax – the Commercial Activity Tax (0.26 percent)
- No. 1 in new data center corporate tax costs.
- No. 1 in distribution center corporate tax costs.
- No. 3 in new capital-intensive manufacturer corporate tax costs.
- No. 5 in new labor-intensive manufacturer corporate tax costs.
The Tax Foundation recognizes Ohio as:

European Investments in Ohio - Success Stories
German-headquartered Festo finds a perfect fit in Ohio
Italy-Based Modula Invests in Ohio to Fuel Rapid North American Growth
Auticon Builds on International Success in Ohio
European Payment Company Klarna Chooses Columbus Region to Launch U.S. Expansion
Bleckmann Builds First U.S. Distribution Center in Central Ohio
Germany-Based Automotive Supplier Expands Northeast Ohio Facility
Borgers USA’s Ohio Facility Becomes Model for Company’s Worldwide Operations

Ohio Economy News
Intel to Build New Factory in Ohio, Enhancing U.S. Competitiveness
thyssenKrupp BILSTEIN of America Announces Expansion in Hamilton, OH
Cincinnati Innovation District announces expansion
Ohio’s Venture Funding Scene Has Taken Off
Spain-Based Saica Group Will Establish Its First North American Facility in Ohio
New $1 billion-plus Columbus Innovation District to pursue gene, cell therapies, other research
Contact Information for starting a Business in Ohio
Maxence Malaquin
Business Development Manager, France
