DED promotes new resources for businesses, entrepreneurs

Representatives with the Missouri Department of Economic Development were in Springfield on June 10 to boost awareness of a couple of new state offices intended to aid businesses and entrepreneurs.

One of those, the Regulatory Relief Office, is awaiting its first participants since an application process began late last year, officials say.

The Office of Entrepreneurship and the Regulatory Relief Office were both established within the DED through the Missouri Right to Start Act, sponsored by then-Sen. Travis Fitzwater, R-Holt’s Summit, then signed into law by former Gov. Mike Parson in July 2024.

Taisia Gordon, director of the Office of Entrepreneurship, said it was launched in October 2025 and has held listening sessions across the state since then for its promotion and to gather feedback from the public, including entrepreneurs.

The office aims to support entrepreneurs and small businesses – containing 10 employees or fewer – by connecting them with information, technical support and resources to encourage business creation and expansion across the state.

The Right to Start Act also created a regulatory sandbox program in Missouri. The program exempts eligible businesses from certain regulations that could be burdensome for developing innovative products.

Gordon, along with D’Mitri Farthing, RRO coordinator, were presenters at a recent Inside the Issues program at the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce. The program also included participation from state Rep. Alex Riley, R-Springfield, who sponsored the House version of the regulatory sandbox legislation with cosponsors comprising three other Republicans and two Democrats in the House.

Riley said he was inspired by Utah’s regulatory sandbox program and wanted to launch it in Missouri.

“The idea is we want Missouri to have a big sign on it that says we are open for business,” he added. “We want innovators in this state. We want entrepreneurs here. If you are an innovator or an entrepreneur and you’re already here, we want you to stay.”

He introduced the legislation in 2020, his first year in office. However, while it took four years to reach the finish line, he said it ultimately was a stronger piece of legislation by the time of its passage with the creation of the Office of Entrepreneurship.

Riley said the regulatory sandbox provides business owners an opportunity to acquire a temporary waiver from state regulations that prevent them from offering a product or service, if they can make their case to state officials.

“One of my goals, and one of the things that I’ve spent the most time working on with the legislation that I’ve carried in the past, is designed to make Missouri the most business-friendly state we can make it,” he said.

Riley said while it may reduce regulations for a business, there still is state oversight.

“The Department of Economic Development will monitor that to make sure that you’re not doing anything that’s putting the public in danger,” Riley said.

Farthing said the application process for RRO assistance launched in mid-December.

“We have not had any participants in the program yet, but every month since its opening, we have inquiries into the program,” he said, adding an advisory committee should be assembled later this year.

Farthing said his office also is speaking with several unidentified companies doing innovative product work in other states that are considering moving to Missouri or seeking to gain market access for their products. One of those is a medical company that operates clinics in St. Louis and Kansas City.

“They really want to help to deal with the issue of medical deserts in the more rural parts of the state,” Farthing said. “So, they’re looking into how they can provide virtual clinics in those areas.”

DED officials said post-event that department employee Stefan Herron is currently aiding RRO for coordination and communication with applicants and interested parties. Farthing is no longer a department employee; according to his LinkedIn profile, he now works as a program manager for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

Officials said DED had only shared information about the program and its eligibility requirements with the medical company, noting the firm hasn’t applied at this time.

Program requirements
Applicants for the regulatory sandbox program are subject to state of Missouri jurisdiction and must establish physical residence or virtual locations in the state from which the innovative offering will be developed and performed. A $300 fee is required for applications, and it can be submitted on the DED website. Sandbox participants have 24 months from the date the application is approved to demonstrate the innovative offering the applicant describes.

According to the DED website, an innovative offering is a product or service that uses or incorporates a new idea, emerging technology or new use of existing technology to address a problem, provide a benefit or otherwise offer a product, production method or service. All sandbox participants also will be required to have a consumer protection plan for the benefit of Missourians. 

“One of the really unique things about this product is they take a pretty broad approach to the term innovation,” Farthing said.

Farthing said residents and businesses also can make suggestions to his office regarding state laws and regulations that could be modified or eliminated to reduce regulatory burden.

“We think this is one of the best ways for someone to both let our office know what affects you as a business owner and also for us to transmit those recommendations to Missouri’s elected leadership,” he said.

Additionally, Farthing said the RRO has a preapplication questionnaire that can help businesses determine their eligibility for the program.

Identifying challenges
Riley said he sees the Office of Entrepreneurship as a one-stop shop for aspiring business owners to approach the state to find available tools to navigate the startup process.

“They have the opportunity to point you in the direction for what are some financial options you might have, what are some of the boxes you have to check to open. Those are the types of things that that office can provide,” he said.

Gordon said the Office of Entrepreneurship’s goal is to “basically level the playing field for entrepreneurs” and identify barriers in place for launching or building a business.

“How can we help remove those barriers or pave the way and make it a little bit easier for you to start and grow your business in Missouri?” she said, adding the office wants to identify gaps in statewide resources that can aid entrepreneurs.

Gordon said her office plans to set strategic focus areas to provide support for business owners. On a local level, she identified chambers of commerce, the Missouri Small Business Development Center at Missouri State University and Efactory as top resources for entrepreneurs. But Gordon said particularly in rural areas, some business owners are unaware of those resources or can’t access them. Gordon added that in recent listening sessions with businesspeople, access to capital, workforce and hiring issues and regulatory roadblocks are other challenges described. It’s one of the goals for the office to help entrepreneurs better connect with local, trusted resources, she said.

Additionally, the office expects to publish a “state of entrepreneurship” report later this summer.

“From there, we’ll set long-term goals and visions moving forward,” she said, adding public engagement and feedback is important for the DED to inform policy and programs within the agency. “We hope to really rise the tide for Missouri and be a leader for entrepreneurs, for innovation within the state, too.”