Delaware Startup Resources

Export Delaware is an initiative of the Delaware Department of State. We are the official export resource for Delaware’s small businesses. If you are a new exporter, or want to explore new markets, we can help you get started.

Export Delaware assists Delaware companies that seek to export their products and services. Our experienced staff provides on-site guidance to businesses that are looking to explore export opportunities or to expand their current export activities to new markets.

Some of the most successful exporters are innovative small- and medium-sized businesses (which account for 98 percent of U.S. exporters). Businesses that export have faster-growing sales, create more jobs and are less likely to go out of business than non-exporting establishments.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has delivered millions of loans, loan guarantees, contracts, counseling sessions and other forms of assistance to small businesses.

Use this guide to learn about starting your business in Delaware. It includes information on incorporating, incentives and programs and business taxes.

The State of Delaware is a leading domicile for U.S. and international corporations. More than 1,000,000 business entities have made Delaware their legal home. More than 66% of the Fortune 500 have chosen Delaware as their legal home.

Businesses choose Delaware not for one single reason, but because we provide a complete package of incorporations services. The Delaware General Corporation Law is the most advanced and flexible business formation statute in the nation. The Delaware Court of Chancery is a unique 220 year old business court that has written most of the modern U.S. corporation case law. Delaware’s State Government is business-friendly and accessible. Our Division of Corporations operates with a state-of-the-art efficiency and our staff provides prompt, friendly and professional service to clients, attorneys, registered agents and others. These factors have all contributed to making Delaware a premier legal home to companies around the world.

The Division of Corporations has Specialists in each section to answer questions and assist you in filing your corporate, UCC and tax documents. You may also file annual tax reports and UCC documents online through our e-Corp Internet filing system.

The Division of Corporations now offers online Name Reservations, Entity Status and General Information. View all online services.

The Delaware Division of Corporations is at your service and we welcome your comments and feed back. You may contact any of the following individuals with questions through the Division of Corporation’s e-mail service.

The Division of Small Business is a service-focused agency committed to helping businesses start and grow in Delaware.

Delaware Works is a product of the Department of Labor and committed to helping job seekers find employment, services and the information they need to succeed; as well as helping find preferred destination for business, capital, talent, and more. The product is committed to assisting veterans and people with disabilities in leveraging their skills and training to be competitive in today’s economy to find not just a job, but the right job.

Export Delaware is an initiative of the Delaware Department of State. We are the official export resource for Delaware’s small businesses. If you are a new exporter, or want to explore new markets, we can help you get started.

Export Delaware assists Delaware companies that seek to export their products and services. Our experienced staff provides on-site guidance to businesses that are looking to explore export opportunities or to expand their current export activities to new markets.

Some of the most successful exporters are innovative small- and medium-sized businesses (which account for 98 percent of U.S. exporters). Businesses that export have faster-growing sales, create more jobs and are less likely to go out of business than non-exporting establishments.

Looking for a new job? A better job? Looking for great, local employees? Join or build the workforce in the area! You have come to the right place for what you need to know about available jobs, our fantastic local employers, and our great community!

The mission of the Kent Economic Partnership is to spur economic development in Central Delaware. Using business attraction and retention programs the KEP efforts promote better employment opportunities for Central Delaware residents by being a premier economic “engine.”

The New Castle County Office of Economic Development (OED) is especially focused on supporting its innovation ecosystem.  Top initiatives include prioritizing new job creation through entrepreneurship, startup companies, existing small businesses and providing a predictable land use planning process.  The OED actively collaborates with the Delaware Prosperity Partnership and State Division of Small Business to expedite the Request for Proposal (RFP) and planning processes for businesses considering relocation to Delaware.  Click the link to access the NCC Innovates Business Portal for data and industry analysis regarding New Castle County’s business climate, location advantages, workforce availability, available commercial property and much more.

Since it was established in response to an executive order in 1979, the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Women’s Business Ownership has fostered the participation of women entrepreneurs in the economy, especially those who have been historically under-served or excluded. OWBO reaches out to women entrepreneurs through a number of programs that are coordinated through every SBA district office. OWBO’s programs provide business training and counseling, access to credit and capital, and marketing opportunities, including federal contracts.

In 1988 the SBA established the Women’s Business Center Program to better help women overcome continuing barriers to success. Today there are Women’s Business Centers in almost every state.
These centers, along with SBA district offices and other SBA resource partners at thousands of locations nationwide help women entrepreneurs start and grow successful businesses.

Each Women’s Business Center tailors its services to the needs of its individual community. Each provides training in finance, management, marketing, and the Internet, as well as offering access to all of the SBA’s financial and procurement assistance programs.

Welcome to USDA Rural Development. We are committed to helping improve the economy and quality of life in rural America. Through our programs, we help rural Americans in many ways.

We offer loans, grants and loan guarantees to help create jobs and support economic development and essential services such as housing; health care; first responder services and equipment; and water, electric and communications infrastructure.

We promote economic development by supporting loans to businesses through banks, credit unions and community-managed lending pools. We offer technical assistance and information to help agricultural producers and cooperatives get started and improve the effectiveness of their operations.

We provide technical assistance to help communities undertake community empowerment programs.

We help rural residents buy or rent safe, affordable housing and make health and safety repairs to their homes.

SizeUpDelaware is a free, robust business analytics tool designed by the Delaware Division of Small Business to support small and medium-sized businesses in a variety of stages, from the entrepreneur looking to start their first business to a seasoned business owner looking to expand their customer base.

Sussex County, Delaware is the fastest growing county in the fastest growing state in the Mid-Atlantic Region, with a diverse landscape that is well suited for entrepreneurs, new business owners, manufacturers, plus retirees eager to enjoy an active lifestyle along our sandy beaches to young families putting down roots in our quaint communities. As an intersection of commerce, culture, and character, residents and visitors alike enjoy all that the community has to offer, from Fortune 500 companies on the Culinary Coast, farmers’ markets to excellent shopping and dining. Sussex County is an economy marked by continual growth and thriving innovation.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is the federal agency for granting U.S. patents and registering trademarks. In doing this, the USPTO fulfills the mandate of Article I, Section 8, Clause 8, of the Constitution that the legislative branch “”promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.”” The USPTO registers trademarks based on the commerce clause of the Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3). Under this system of protection, American industry has flourished. New products have been invented, new uses for old ones discovered, and employment opportunities created for millions of Americans. The strength and vitality of the U.S. economy depends directly on effective mechanisms that protect new ideas and investments in innovation and creativity. The continued demand for patents and trademarks underscores the ingenuity of American inventors and entrepreneurs. The USPTO is at the cutting edge of the nation’s technological progress and achievement.

The USPTO advises the president of the United States, the secretary of commerce, and U.S. government agencies on intellectual property (IP) policy, protection, and enforcement; and promotes the stronger and more effective IP protection around the world. The USPTO furthers effective IP protection for U.S. innovators and entrepreneurs worldwide by working with other agencies to secure strong IP provisions in free trade and other international agreements. It also provides training, education, and capacity building programs designed to foster respect for IP and encourage the development of strong IP enforcement regimes by U.S. trading partners.

Provides current facts and figures about America’s people, places, and economy.

The U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is the only federal agency solely dedicated to the growth and global competitiveness of minority business enterprises.

The Office of Economic Development (OED) is committed to ensuring a diversified local economy for the City by promoting and developing all varieties of industry and by initiating programs to increase job opportunities for residents of the City of Wilmington. The OED facilitates the development of retail, commercial, cultural, entertainment, and educational attractions as a means to attract new businesses and residents to the City. The OED also assists small, minority, and women owned businesses through training and technical assistance programs designed to facilitate greater access to the public/private marketplace.