Despite recent economic growth in Myanmar, the local business environment throughout much of the country remains poorly understood. Outdated administrative systems, vested local interests, and five decades of military rule have led to a complex patchwork of institutions governing commercial activity. A range of actors are responsible for local economic governance (LEG) in Myanmar, including national ministries, state/region offices and township offices. However, few attempts have been made to map the impact of LEG on Myanmar’s evolving business environment. The Asia Foundation (TAF) and the DaNa Facility therefore launched the three-year Department for International Development (DFID)-funded Myanmar Business Environment Index (MBEI) initiative. The MBEI aims to assess constraints affecting Myanmar’s business environment at the subnational level and identify opportunities for reform, in partnership with the Development Lab at Duke University.