#23 Arkansas
5.81 out of 10 in Taxation and Regulation
5.90 out of 10 in Workforce Quality
5.86 out of 10 in Living Environment
Right to Work? ✓
State Profile
The Arkansas Economic Development Commission has formed a Blue Ribbon Commission to study opportunities to grow the state’s economy associated with computer science and data analytics, focusing on business challenges in computing and data analytics, potential for growing niches within those sectors and ways to build Arkansas’ talent pipeline with the required skills. State lawmakers also recently enacted the Arkansas Business and Technology Accelerator Act to create a $2M accelerator grant program for startups, aided by corporate sponsors providing matching funds to create accelerator events throughout the state.
Key Industries
Aerospace, Biosciences, Data Centers, Distribution, Food & Beverage, SmartGrid Technologies
Key Companies
Acxiom
Dillard’s
J.B. Hunt Transport
Murphy Oil
Tyson Foods
Wal-Mart Stores
Key Contacts
Economic Development Commission
Mike Preston, Executive Director
501-682-7351
900 West Capitol Avenue Suite 400
Little Rock, AR 72201
mpreston@arkansasedc.com
http://arkansasedc.com/
CEO Comments
“The sales tax laws for Internet sales in Alabama and Arkansas are horrible.”