STATEWIDE — Coloradans starting a new business now have a simplified, more efficient way to register a business and obtain state licenses and registrations.

MyBizColorado provides a single path to interact with multiple state agencies, cutting red tape and expediting the process for a business start-up. The new system was announced June 5 by Governor John Hickenlooper and Secretary of State Wayne Williams.

“I know the challenges facing start-up businesses,” said Governor John Hickenlooper. “By streamlining the state’s processes, we can remove some of those hurdles. MyBizColorado is another reason Colorado is one of the best places to start and grow a new business.”

MyBizColorado is designed to provide a user-friendly, streamlined experience to deal with multiple agencies on essential business start-up activities. The site is at mybiz.colorado.gov.

Participating agencies and partners include the Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Revenue, Department of Regulatory Agencies, Governor’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade, Governor’s Office of Information Technology, Secretary of State’s Office, the Statewide Internet Portal Authority, and Colorado Interactive.

“MyBizColorado demonstrates a common goal to provide the best possible service for the business community. It’s rewarding to see so many agencies sharing a unified commitment to welcome new businesses in our state,” said Secretary of State Wayne Williams. “MyBizColorado is one website that opens many doors. Instead of a maze, MyBizColorado provides an easy-to-follow road map for starting a new business.”

The new system will be especially helpful for emerging small businesses who often don’t have the resources or staff of large companies. Small businesses in Colorado employ one million people, nearly half of the state’s workforce, according to the Small Business Administration.  While we often hear about large corporations coming to Colorado, the fact is that small businesses create 30,000 to 40,000 new jobs every year in the state.

By using MyBizColorado, you can:

Register for a sales tax license

Register employees for wage withholding

Register employees for unemployment insurance

Find resources to help plan a new business and obtain professional licenses

“One of my goals as chief operating officer is to better align the state agencies as they connect with their customers,” said Lieutenant Governor and Chief Operating Officer Donna Lynne. “MyBizColorado is our way of letting entrepreneurs know we recognize what it takes to start a business. We want to make it as efficient as possible so they can spend less time doing paperwork and more time on growing their business.”

MyBizColorado replaces a decade-old system called the Colorado Business Express. Its 2007 technology was slow, cumbersome and not available for mobile platforms.

The new system is user-focused, accessible via tablets and smartphones. The site also will intuitively direct users to the correct call center at each participating state agency if the client needs help or has additional questions.