Author of the article, freelance writer Jason Daley, said he researched university towns across the country to determine the best places to start a new business. Daley, along with a few of his colleagues, looked at different programs at universities that promoted entrepreneurism. After talking to people from both MSU and the city, Daley said he decided East Lansing earned a spot on his list.

“MSU is probably the best example of the city and the university cooperating to foster economic growth in the area,” Daley said.

MSU is the only Michigan school on the list, and is in company with schools such as University of Wisconsin-Madison , Brown University and University of Californa-San Diego.

Executive Director of MSU Technologies Michael Poterala said he was not surprised. Both MSU and the city have worked to create a forward-thinking and economically-savvy business community, he said.

“I certainly think we’re savvy in trying to attract and maintain businesses here,” Poterala said.

Despite earning a place on the list, many small businesses have seen their doors close in East Lansing. Economics professor Charles Ballard said although the city has many factors that make it a good place to start a business, in order to stay in business, it takes hard work from the business owner.

“It’s not easy,” Ballard said. “If you’ve got a good idea, and you’re willing to work hard, there are success stories.”

But a college town such as MSU offers a stable set of economic activity, something that makes it appealing to certain business owners

“If a new business can find the right niche, they might be able to prosper,” Ballard said

It’s not just about location though, said Tim Dempsey, East Lansing’s director of Planning and Community Development. For a business to be successful, it needs to adequately plan for their business to see customers come in.

“I have witnessed a number of businesses over the years open their doors and think that simply by opening shop, success will follow,” Dempsey wrote in an e-mail. “The reality is it takes a thorough understanding of the marketplace, a solid business plan, sufficient capital, and lots of hard work.”

Looking forward to the future, both university officials and city officials said they hope to keep pushing the envelope for economic development and see growth when the economy starts to turn.

“Between the efforts taking place between the university and city to foster entrepreneurialism to the growth of companies like IBM, the local economy is undergoing significant transformation,” Dempsey said.

For local business owners such as Ray Walsh, who owns Curious Book Shop, 307 E. Grand River Ave., East Lansing has served a great place for business for about 40 years.

“Having 40,000 students right across the street at MSU is definitely a large part of our business and helps a great deal,” Walsh said.