Business travel can be essential in laying the foundation for a startup’s ability to thrive in its industry. Although starting a business is an exciting venture, choosing the right location can make all the difference.
Traveling for business can also drive growth by expanding networks, strengthening investor relationships, and opening new markets. Conferences and conventions offer major benefits, with 78% of business travellers saying they help to provide industry insights and 76% reporting that conferences help to develop partnerships.
To provide entrepreneurs with insights into starting or growing their businesses, Tripeden.com for Business highlights the U.S. states with great business travel and networking opportunities. We reveal which states offer the best chances for startups and why they should be on the radar of aspiring business owners.
The U.S. states with the best opportunities for startups
Many U.S. states offer promising startup opportunities, especially with the U.S. Census Bureau reporting over 5.2 million new business applications in 2024—driven by a surge in entrepreneurship since the 2020 pandemic. However, this growth has also increased competition, with applications rising nearly 20% over the past five years.
Startups should position themselves strategically to gain a competitive edge. To spotlight the U.S. states with the best startup opportunities, we scored each state out of 10 using a weighted system based on startup density, application rates, growth, and survival over the past decade.
Montana
Startup opportunity score: 9.55/10
With an impressive score of 9.55 out of 10, Montana is regarded as the state with the most startup opportunities for business travel. This is reinforced by its 10-year survival rate of over two-fifths (41%) for new businesses and a year-on-year increase of more than a quarter (26%).
Montana’s supportive startup ecosystem fosters collaboration and networking through organisations like Early Stage Montana, which offers resources and mentorship. Favorable tax policies, including a 6.75% corporate income tax and no sales tax, also make the state an attractive, cost-effective choice for entrepreneurs.
Oregon
Startup opportunity score: 8.00/10
Oregon ranks second in business opportunities for startups, scoring 8 out of 10. Over a third (36.4%) of its early-stage businesses have a 10-year survival rate, which is relatively high considering 65.3% of businesses close after 10 years. This may be due to the state's extensive support system for new businesses, including ‘The Startup Toolkit,’ a step-by-step guide to assist in navigating the startup process.
Organisations like the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN) support startups with connections, education, mentorship, training, and funding. Many entrepreneurs come to Oregon to network through OEN’s collaborative workspace, where they exchange insights and best practices. With this support, Oregon has seen the second-highest year-on-year startup growth (50%), just behind Washington.
Nevada
Startup opportunity score: 7.20/10
Nevada completes the top three, scoring 7.20 out of 10. According to the Tax Foundation’s State Business Tax Climate Index, the state offers various business opportunities and is ranked in the top ten for exceptional business climate. Moreover, Nevada has no corporate income tax and an average combined state and local sales tax rate of 8.24%.
In 2023, the state became the first to enact the ‘Right to Start’ legislation, promoting entrepreneurship and economic growth. Major conferences like Black Hat USA and Money 20/20 attract startups seeking business connections, brand recognition, and networking opportunities through dedicated sessions and meet-ups.
Top 10 U.S. startup conferences to attend in 2025
Business travel plays an important role in an entrepreneur's journey to success. Attending the right events can help accelerate growth and expand networking opportunities if you’re looking to increase your business knowledge. Don’t miss out on some of the leading upcoming, globally recognised U.S. conferences of 2025.
- South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual conference and festival in Austin, Texas that offers startups the chance to enhance their visibility and connect with investors. The event provides a platform for startups to engage with a diverse audience, industry leaders, and potential business partners.
- The Small Business Expo, taking place throughout the year across various US states such as New York, San Francisco, and Boston, is another excellent opportunity for startups to connect. It provides exposure to new potential customers and networking with other businesses and industry leaders.
- The Startup Grind Global Conference in San Francisco is also a well-known event for entrepreneurs, as it connects startups with investors and the chance to learn while exploring new business opportunities.
- Other major startup conferences to look forward to include the RSA Conference and SaaStr Annual in San Francisco, and INBOUND, which will take place in Boston later this year.
Do U.S. states with more business opportunities truly benefit aspiring entrepreneurs?
This research has shown that states with more business opportunities offer significant advantages to early-stage businesses. Hotspot states like San Francisco provide new and seasoned entrepreneurs opportunities to connect with innovators, build partnerships, and expand into new markets through networking. Similarly, states like Montana sustain high business survival rates, providing new business owners peace of mind and a drive to remain competitive.
Many entrepreneurs seek valuable opportunities to expand their reach, build working connections, and increase brand awareness. Travel management platforms, such as Tripeden.com for Business free online tool, can help streamline travel for startups by providing easy access to flights, stays, and transport so they can focus on what’s important—growing their business and building a strong brand presence.
Methodology
To reveal the states with the most startups, we noted the number of startup businesses as of 2024 for each state using BLS data on the Establishment age and survival data by state.
We used the United States Census Bureau data to source the number of business applications per 100,000 population by state (United States Census Bureau State Population Totals, December 2024) and also note the year-on-year percentage change (Dec 2023 to Dec 2024). This data is subject to seasonal change.
We also used Establishment age and survival data by state (‘Table 7. Survival of private sector establishments by opening year' for each state) to highlight each state's survival rates for startup businesses over the last 10 years. This shows the survival rates of private companies that opened in 2014.
To determine the state with the most business travel opportunities for startups, we used a weighted ranking that takes into account the following factors:
- Number of startup businesses by state
- Number of business applications per 100,000 population by state
- Year-on-year percentage change in business applications per 100,000 population by state
- Year-on-year percentage change in startup survival rates by state over the last decade
This weighted ranking system considers the average scores for each factor out of 10 for each state. We then calculated an overall score out of 10 for each location to reveal the top states for startups.
Taking inspiration from Tripeden.com For Business 2024 edition of the top startup conferences to attend, we created a section on the most popular startup events throughout the year. We noted the official site of each event and conference, such as the Small Business Expo and Startup Grind Global Conference, within the copy.
All data was collected in January 2025 and is correct as of then.
