The Small Business Administration (SBA) has launched a new "Startup in a Day" initiative, which aims to make it easier for entrepreneurs to start a business by reducing the amount of time it takes to register and apply for permits and licenses on the local level and has invited cities and Native American communities across the United States to get involved.

The Startup in a Day Competition is designed to spur the development, implementation, and improvement of online tools that will let entrepreneurs learn about the business startup process in their area, including how to register and apply for all required local licenses and permits, in one day or less. The competition includes two models - Start Small and Dream Big - and the Economic Development Office has applied for both grant opportunities.

Through OpenCounter, we already provide a startup-in-day solution. Incubating OpenCounter since 2013, we are also experienced with software development, recently creating CruzCal.org, an open source-based arts & culture calendar system to amplify the impact of the arts sector on the economy.

Through ChooseSantaCruz.com, OpenCounter now combines with our newest tools, SizeUp and ZoomProspector, we can further improve the experience, educate small businesses and fellow economic developers, and create needed internal efficiencies with the support of the SBA’s Startup in a Day grant.

In conjunction with the Startup in a Day Competition, President Barack Obama is asking cities and Native American Communities across America to take a pledge to support entrepreneurs in their area by making it easier to start a business. The City of Santa Cruz will bring the pledge to City Council at their first session after the July break on August 11, 2015.

The pledge is as follows:

“Our cities and communities are committed to making it easier for every entrepreneur to start a business. We believe an entrepreneur’s time is best spent developing innovative products and services, creating jobs, and growing local economies—not navigating red tape. While fair zoning rules, licenses, and permits are important to ensuring public safety and fair competition, it should not take more than a day for an entrepreneur to identify and apply, ideally through a single online tool, for all the licenses and permits they need in order to responsibly launch a business. Accordingly, we resolve to:

1. Create a “Startup in a Day” online tool within 12 months: we will develop within a year a website or application that lets most entrepreneurs identify and apply within one day for all requirements to launch a business in our respective communities.

2. Develop a streamlined, business-friendly, online permitting system: Our pledge is a first step in a larger effort to streamline, simplify, and bring online those regulatory requirements that have traditionally been fragmented across multiple agencies and handled through a paper-based process. Our ultimate goal is for small business owners to be able to manage and complete most of their regulatory obligations within a single easy-to-use online system.

3. Share best practices: In an effort to encourage other municipalities to join us in this effort, we are joining a community of practice administered by the National League of Cities, and commit to sharing best practices, publicizing key learnings, highlighting tangible outcomes, supporting smart regulatory simplification, and providing visibility into our actions.”