Columbia, MO has a lot to offer start up companies in the bio-tech, technology, health, medical, and IT or software industries. Historically Centennial Investors has worked primarily with companies started in Columbia, MO but we have made a number of deals with companies from outside of Missouri moving into our area. Our goal is to bring and help start high-growth ventures into the Mid-Missouri area. We work very closely with the University of Missouri – Columbia, but contrary to popular belief, a majority of the businesses we invest in do not come through the University or their programs.

Affordable Living

Columbia, MO is an extremely affordable place to live with a median income level above $40,000 and a median home value of around $140,000. Columbia provides a small town lifestyle with city amenities and entertainment. The city of Columbia continues to grow rapidly and has always been strongly rooted with the University of Missouri. The local school systems consistently rank well nationally and many see Columbia as an attractive city to raise a family in. The combination of talented students available for hire coming out of the Universities, low living cost and median income level, enjoyable nightlife and downtown community and the engaging entrepreneurial community make Columbia a great place to live for both entrepreneurs and their budding businesses.

Resources

Another attractive feature of Columbia is the available resources nearby. The largest nuclear research facility in the midwest is housed on MU’s campus near the MU Life Sciences Incubator. Partnering with the university gives many companies affordable access to research facilities that are necessary for their technology and biology breakthroughs. Centennial Investors also works closely with the Missouri Innovation Center to  find prospective companies in search of capital, provide a space for them to get started, and help businesses scale out of the facility as they gain more business or grants. Our tight-knit local community provides entrepreneurs support that is hard to find in larger cities and the university provides affordable research facilities that for some companies is attractive enough to relocate to Columbia.