Oklahoma City named one of the 50 best cities for starting a business in 2020 by Inc.

Oklahoma City named one of the 50 best cities for starting a business in 2020 by Inc.

BY GUADALUPE GONZALEZ

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We have the key to the city--or 50 cities, to be exact. For the 2020 Surge Cities index, Inc. and innovation policy company Startup Genome analyzed troves of data on seven essential indicators--such as early-stage funding and job creation--to determine the 50 best areas for startup growth. In the following dispatches, you'll find a road map for turning forgotten ZIP codes into boomtowns--or simply for answering the age-old question: Where should you go next? From Charleston to Chattanooga, the answers may surprise you.

OKLAHOMA CITY

This city asked its NBA team for an assist on startup investment.

No. 5 RATE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIPNo. 23 WAGE GROWTH No. 27 JOB CREATION

Anchored by two major research institutes--the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation and the Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center--this state capital is a hotbed for life sciences businesses. Though funding is a pain point for many local entrepreneurs--Oklahoma startups have only raised about $6 million, according to data compiled by PricewaterhouseCoopers and CB Insights--city and business leaders are getting creative in their efforts to help founders secure cash. In 2018, the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder teamed up with local accelerator StitchCrew to launch Thunder Launchpad, a 12-week initiative offering mentorship, support, and other resources to participating startups, as well as a chance to pitch to investors. Local nonprofit i2E, a storied member of the startup ecosystem, is also a bright note in the region, investing roughly $61 million across 169 companies to date.