City of Delaware Economic Development Department

Substratum is a tech company that specializes in creating software around supporting a decentralized web using cryptocurrency.

START A BUSINESS

STEP 1 - What's your dream?
STEP 2 - Plan your dream.
STEP 3 - Fund your dream.
STEP 4 - Locate your dream.

Visit the Delaware Entrepreneurial Center at Ohio Wesleyan University for services, training, access to student workers and project teams and low-cost offices and co-working space.

BUSINESS MENTORS

Match Me To A Mentor

This link will open an email to our team. Please include the type of business you are wanting to start and your primary contact information. We will contact you to set up a meeting.

RESOURCES

Upcoming Business Events

BYOB: Be Your Own Boss. Build Your Own Business - Ohio Small Business Development Center

Wed, January 03, 2024 5:30 PM • Ohio SBDC at SBDC, Inc. 100 S. Limestone St., Suite 411 Springfield, OH 45502

Full Calendar

Plan your dream.

Generate a business plan.

Before you seek funding or start looking at locations, creating a business plan is a MUST! It is required by lenders and it also makes you do the research necessary to make sure your ideas are going to work.

Two of the most important parts of a modern business plan are your credentials (Tell everyone why you can run the business you want to open.) and the financial forecasts.

SCORE has a section of their website dedicated to business plan templates for various types of business as well as a business plan builder. You complete questions and it builds to plan for you! (SCORE Business Plans)

One of our Small Business Mentors also can be of valuable assistance in helping you to build your business plan. Let us match you to a mentor today!

A new Census website provides a one-stop compilation of resources, data tools, and free training for small businesses to highlight their importance to the economy. Among them:

Census Business Builder: Small Business Edition V. 4.1. A suite of services designed to help entrepreneurs examine their competitors and the best location(s) to start their businesses.
Small Business Census Website. A Census-designed website that helps businesses identify their customer’s needs.

This also is a great time to decide on the legal format of your business. Many businesses choose the Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) format due to the legal protections it provides. Consult with a legal professional for advice on which legal format is best for your dream (We can assist you in connecting with a legal professional.). Once you have chosen a format and have incorporated, you will need to file for an IRS Employer Identification Number (EIN) and file your business with the Ohio Secretary of State.

Other licenses and permits required to do business in Ohio can be found at the Ohio Business Gateway. You also will need to file the City of Delaware's Business Registration Form (PDF). Businesses that sell merchandise, food or services that require sales taxes to be collected need to complete the State of Ohio/Delaware County Application for Vendor's License to Make Taxable Sales and return the form to the County Auditor's office at 140 N. Sandusky St., Delaware, Ohio, 43015.

Restaurant and other food related business also must be inspected and permitted by the Delaware General Health District if they are selling retail.

City of Delaware · COhatch, 18 East William Street · Delaware, Ohio 43015 · 740.203.1016 · opportunity@delawareohio.net