Missouri Rural Enterprise & Innovation Center
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Missouri Rural Enterprise and Innovation Center is a not-for-profit corporation affiliated with Truman State University that serves and educates entrepreneurs and business owners in Northeast Missouri.

We are a combination of an SBDC (Small Vusiness Development Center), a division of Missouri Extension, and an Innovation Center created by Missouri's Department for Economic Development through the Missouri Technology Corporation (MTC). MREIC is a one-stop shop for every type of entrepreneur form self-employed professionals to local employer businesses to high growth innovators throughout the 20+ counties of Northeast Missouri.

MREIC works in conjunction with Missouri’s Small Business & Technology Development Centers (SBTDC). MREIC/SBTDC offers numerous services for entrepreneurs. These include:

Business Start-up Information and Assistance: The issues involved in starting, running, or expanding a business are often complex. Should you form an LLC or S Corporation? Is a business license required? Will you own or lease your equipment? If you need answers, the center’s counselor(s) can offer assistance to meet your needs.

Business Planning: Our business counselors can provide assistance for developing a full scale business plan for your business start-up.

Intellectual Property Management: Ideas often need to be protected before taking them to the marketplace. MREIC/SBTDC provides information on a variety of means for doing that – patents, trademarks, copyright, etc. and information on cost effective means to provide protection.

Development and Marketing: MREIC/SBTDC has the tools available to help you assess the competition, thoroughly analyze your business, and develop a plan for success.

SBIR Grant Assistance: The center provides expertise with SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) funding, including help in locating appropriate funding opportunities and expertise in grant writing.

Funding Assistance: Most entrepreneurial small businesses are confronted with funding needs. Center staff is skilled in financial analysis and financial statement preparation. Counselors are also familiar with the loan guarantee program offered through the Small Business Administration.

To take advantage of these resources, contact the office at 660-665-3348 to make an appointment to speak with a counselor.