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FILE — Staff at work in the Boatsetter office, a South Florida based boat-renting tech company on August 7, 2019 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Photo by Gianrigo Marletta/AFP via Getty Images)
GIANRIGO MARLETTA/AFP via Getty Images
SPRINGFIELD — On Friday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity highlighted data from the Business Formation Statistics Report that shows Illinois is leading the Midwest in business startups and is among the top 10 states nationally.
Additionally, the state reached the highest recorded number of business startups, with 198,827 business startups created in Illinois in 2021, up from 170,400 in 2020, highest since data began in 2004. Illinois had 69% more business startups in 2021 than before the pandemic in 2019 (198,827 compared to 117,392).
“With yet another record-breaking year under our belt, Illinois kicks off 2022 with a message for the world: we’re back and open for business,” Pritzker said in a statement.
Illinois had the highest number of business startups in the Midwest with 44,000 more startups than the closest ranked state (Ohio, 154,818) and also leading in growth since 2019.
Illinois had the sixth-highest number of business startups in 2021 and was eighth in growth since 2019, second among the largest 20 states.
“Governor Pritzker has prioritized Illinois’ workforce and economy – and it shows: businesses in Illinois are launching in record numbers,” Sylvia I. Garcia, acting DCEO director, said in a statement. “Illinois remains committed to investing in proven programs that spur innovation, create jobs and boost our economy.”
