Business and Industry

Minnesota Information

State Government

• Business & Liens - The Minnesota Secretary of State's office provides resources for those starting a business in Minnesota. You can also search for information on a Minnesota business.
• Minnesota ELicensing - From this site you can access licensing information on over 500 licenses administered by over 40 state agencies in Minnesota. 
• Minnesota Commerce Department - This agency is responsible for regulating and licensing business activity in more than 20 industries. Their License Lookup Directory allows you to select an industry or license type from a lengthy list.
• Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development - Offers programs promoting business recruitment, expansion, and retention; workforce development; international trade; and community development.
  • Business Services - Information for all stages of business development.
  • Minnesota Small Business Assistance Office - Serves as a point of first and continuing contact for individuals and firms with questions about the start-up, operation or expansion of a business in Minnesota.

Non-government

• Business Journal - The Web edition of the Twin Cities business journal formerly known as CityBusiness. Their Book of Lists is a compilation of thousands of top businesses and executives.
• Coalition of Minnesota Businesses - The nonpartisan Coalition serves as a communications link between businesses, policy-makers and the public. Their website provides policy proposals and links to related resources.
• MBBNet - Features links to over 1200 biomedical, bioscience, and related science-based companies in Minnesota.
• Minnesota Business Partnership - From a nonpartisan public policy group with the CEOs of Minnesota's largest companies as members, this site features many reports.
• Minnesota Chamber of Commerce - This business advocacy organization provides information on how legislation and policy affect Minnesota businesses.
• Minnesota District Export Council - This site provides current trade developments, export tools, and links to State and Federal export sites.
• Star Tribune 50 - The 30th annual ranking of Minnesota's largest publicly held companies. Link is to the 2020 report published May 23, 2021. For comparison, see the 2019 annual report.

Company Information

• Better Business Bureau - Check out a company by using the BBB information system search, which lists any complaints about a company.
• CorporateInformation - Search for public, private, foreign, or domestic companies and receive a list of links to information on the company.
• Directories - Links to business and people directories compiled by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library.
• Dun & Bradstreet Business Information - Search by company name or industry for reliable company information and news.
• NASDAQ Stock Market - NASDAQ stock quotes and links to pages of companies listed on the NASDAQ exchange.
• New York Stock Exchange - New York Stock Exchange stock quotes and links to pages of companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
• U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission - Offers regulatory information and primers on various consumer finance issues.
  • EDGAR Database of Corporate Information - Includes financial disclosure forms of all publicly traded companies.

Business Information & Statistics

• County Business Patterns - State- and county-level U.S. Census Bureau statistics on the number of establishments, employees, and payroll.
• Data Center - Data and data tools providing a comprehensive look at Minnesota's economy and workforce, from the MN Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).
• Export Solutions - The U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration's collaborative effort with the 19 Federal Agencies that offer export assistance programs and services. Their State Trade Data resources provide data on state imports and exports, as well as state factsheets with an overall trade picture. 
• Economic Census - The U.S. Census Bureau's economic census profiles the economy every 5 years, from the national to the local level.
• Survey of Current Business - The Journal of the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Other Information

• CEO Express - One-stop shopping for business information links, provided by AlphaSight.
• North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) - This site from the U.S. Census Bureau allows for searching the 2002, 2007, 2012, and 2017 U.S. NAICS Manuals. NAICS was developed under the auspices of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and adopted in 1997 to replace the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system.
• U.S. Small Business Administration - Information on financial assistance for small business and how to contract with the federal government. The Minneapolis district office has area information. The SBA Advocacy research division is a good source for data on small businesses.

The sites listed on this page are not created, maintained, or endorsed by the Minnesota Legislature.