# StartPort: full site content

Source: https://startportnola.com · Last updated November 11, 2026



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# Home

URL: https://startportnola.com/

The 2027 thesis from StartPort and Startup Grind New Orleans

# Grind to Market

Anyone can build now. Finding customers is still hard.

Old wayWeinberg & Mares, Traction, 2015

Product 50%Go-to-market 50%

New wayGaudet, 2027

Product 35%Go-to-market 65%

Tell us what you’re building[Register for Beta in Progress](</register>)

[Read the full thesis](</thesis>)

**StartPort** is our concept for a French Quarter home for **Startup Grind New Orleans**. [See the concept](</startport>).

For founders with an idea or looking for customers

## Tell us what you’re building.

Our 2027 focus is Grind to Market. Tell us where you are, and we’ll help you find the customers who matter first.

  1. **Find your customer density.** The tight cluster of users who know each other, come back and tell their friends.
  2. **Identify your innovators and early adopters.** The first 2.5% buy unfinished things. The next 13.5% follow them.
  3. **Narrow down your ideal customer profile.** Let usage data, not your hypothesis, define who you build for.

We read every submission. Expect a reply from the Startup Grind New Orleans team, usually within a week. [How we use your information](</privacy>).

Company fax

Your name * Email *

Company or project City or parish

Where are you right now? *

Just an ideaBuilding a first versionHave something, looking for customersHave customers, ready to grow

What are you working on? * Who do you think your customer is? How can we help?

Find my customer densityIdentify my innovators and early adoptersNarrow down my ideal customer profileDesign usage testsPressure-test pricingMeet mentors who have done itGet help building the productGet ready to raise

What’s your biggest go-to-market challenge right now?

Website or link How did you hear about us?Choose oneBeta in ProgressStartup GrindA friend or mentorLinkedIn or social mediaAnother ecosystem groupSearch or AI assistantOther

Add me to the Startup Grind New Orleans founder list for events and Grind to Market resources. Unsubscribe anytime. Send it to us

## Start here

[**The 2027 thesis** Why the old 50/50 split no longer fits, and five ways to run the 65/35._Read the thesis_](</thesis>) [**The StartPort concept** A glass-front founder hub in the French Quarter, plugged into a global founder network._See the concept_](</startport>) [**About us** How Startup Grind New Orleans and StartPort fit together: mission, team and how to get involved._Read about us_](</about>) [**2027 calendar** Beta in Progress every second Thursday, plus Global Pitch Week, NOEW and more, with full dates._See the dates_](</calendar>) [**Ecosystem directory** 64 New Orleans and Louisiana organizations that support founders, and what each one does._Browse the directory_](</ecosystem>) [**The Sugar Stack** How ideas become companies in Louisiana, from cane to crystal, and why every unicorn starts with the grind._See the full path_](</sugar-stack>)

The French Quarter is America’s original launch pad.

StartPort is a concept we’re pitching: a home for founders on the blocks 19 million visitors already walk. The concept document is available on request.

[See the concept](</startport>)[Request the concept document](<mailto:hello@startportnola.com?subject=StartPort%20concept%20document>)


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# The 2027 thesis: Grind to Market

URL: https://startportnola.com/thesis

# Grind to Market

The 2027 thesis from StartPort and Startup Grind New Orleans. Anyone can build now. Finding customers is still hard.

## Building got cheap. Customers didn’t.

> Your hypothesis gets a vote. Customer data gets the veto.

In 2015, Gabriel Weinberg and Justin Mares told founders to split their time evenly between product and traction. That was the right advice when building took months.

AI changed the math. A working product can take days now, so the hard part has moved to the market. Our 2027 thesis flips the ratio: spend 65% of your time on go-to-market and 35% on the build.

Grind to Market treats finding customers like engineering. Ship small. Put it in front of real users. Watch where usage clusters. Iterate toward the people who keep coming back.

Easy to build isn’t free to maintain. The 35% still has to cover security and reliability, or the 65% sells something that breaks.

## How to run the 65/35

* * *

  * Speed is the engine

Iterate on every signal, and pivot when the signal says no. Cheap development means a pivot costs days, not quarters. The next four tell you where to point it.

  * Start with the 2.5%

Innovators buy unfinished things. Find them first, then the early adopters right behind them.

  * Go dense

Pick one tight segment where users know each other, so word of mouth compounds. Fifty users in one niche beat 500 scattered ones.

  * Launch in waves

Each wave is one segment and one release. The segment you win becomes proof for the next.

  * Read signals

Return usage, referrals, willingness to pay. When what people say and what they do disagree, trust what they do.

  * __**Innovators** 2.5%
  * __**Early adopters** 13.5%
  * __Early majority 34%
  * __Late majority 34%
  * __Laggards 16%

Everett Rogers’ diffusion of innovations. Innovators and early adopters make up the first 16% of a market, the edge of what Geoffrey Moore called the chasm. Density and waves are how you cross it.

## Does 65/35 match your experience?

The thesis gets sharper with every founder who pushes back on it. Tell us how you actually split your time.

Company fax

Where does your time go today?

Mostly buildingAbout half and halfMostly go-to-marketNot sure yet

What would make the thesis more useful to you? Email, if you’d like a reply Send feedback

## Questions about Grind to Market

What is Grind to Market?
    Grind to Market is the 2027 thesis from StartPort and Startup Grind New Orleans. AI has made building software cheap and fast, so the hard part of starting a company has moved to finding customers. The thesis treats customer discovery like engineering: ship small, test with real users, find where usage clusters, and iterate toward the people who keep coming back.
What is the 65/35 rule?
    The 65/35 rule, attributed to Rob Gaudet in 2027, says founders should spend about 65% of their time on go-to-market and 35% on building. It updates the 50% rule from Gabriel Weinberg and Justin Mares's 2015 book Traction, which split time evenly between product and traction.
What are the five approaches in Grind to Market?
    Speed is the engine; start with the 2.5% of innovators; go dense in one tight customer segment; launch in waves, one segment and one release at a time; and read signals such as return usage, referrals and willingness to pay.
What is customer density?
    Customer density is a tight cluster of similar users who know each other, come back, and refer one another. Finding it shows a founder their ideal customer faster than a persona exercise, because word of mouth compounds inside the cluster.
Where does the 2.5% figure come from?
    From Everett Rogers's diffusion of innovations: innovators are 2.5% of a market and early adopters 13.5%. Together they make the first 16%, the edge of what Geoffrey Moore called the chasm.
Who is behind the thesis?
    StartPort and Startup Grind New Orleans, the New Orleans chapter of the global Startup Grind founder community, led by Chapter Director Rob Gaudet.


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# The StartPort concept

URL: https://startportnola.com/startport

# The French Quarter is America’s original launch pad.

StartPort is a concept we’re pitching: a glass-front founder hub on Royal or Chartres Street, built for the people already walking past it. It would be the home of Startup Grind New Orleans, and the place where Grind to Market gets practiced every day.

[Request the concept document](<mailto:hello@startportnola.com?subject=StartPort%20concept%20document>)Ways to help

**19.46M** visitors to New Orleans in 2025

**53K** visitors a day, on average

**0.66** square miles in the French Quarter

**$10.8B** visitor spending in 2025

Source: New Orleans & Company. Daily figure is annual visitors divided by 365.

Nearly every one of those trips runs through the same few blocks. A real share of those visitors are founders, engineers, investors and convention-goers. Today nothing on those blocks tells them New Orleans builds companies. StartPort is designed to change that.

### A workspace

For high-growth founders: desks, coffee, programming and introductions from people who have built companies.

### A front door

For visitors: a host explains what StartPort is and which programs fit, then they walk the exhibits and grab a coffee.

### A global home

The home of Startup Grind New Orleans, with live sessions that connect the room to Startup Grind chapters around the world.

### Why people will walk in

### Morning DJ sets

One morning a week, a local DJ opens the room, the coffee is on, and founders and visitors meet before work. It gives people a reason to be in the Quarter early, when the streets are quiet.

### Coffee from the Quarter

StartPort features neighborhood cafés instead of competing with them. Each week a different local roaster is the house coffee, credited on the wall and on our channels.

### A museum of firsts

Museum-style exhibits on what New Orleans invented or did first, told with stories, photographs and commissioned work from local artists.

### A starting list of New Orleans firsts

  1. 1796Grétry’s _Sylvain_ at the Théâtre St. Pierre, often called the first true opera staged in America
  2. 1823America’s first licensed pharmacist opens his shop on Chartres Street
  3. 1835The St. Charles line, the world’s oldest continuously operating streetcar line
  4. 1896Vitascope Hall, America’s first dedicated movie theater
  5. JazzBorn here, and still the city’s greatest export
  6. 1940sThe Higgins boats Eisenhower credited with winning the war
  7. 1954ODECO’s Mr. Charlie, the first mobile submersible offshore drilling rig
  8. 1960sThe first stage of the Saturn V moon rocket, built at Michoud
  9. 2021Lucid, the New Orleans market-research company, sells for about $1.1 billion

New Orleans was an innovation capital. It still is.

## One storefront. A global founder network.

Startup Grind New Orleans is StartPort’s anchor partner, and it turns one room in the Quarter into a doorway to Startup Grind chapters around the world. First connections include Chicago, Venezuela, Israel, Pune, Bangkok and South Korea. Pune and Bangkok have already asked to collaborate.

### Our mornings are their evenings

When it’s 7 a.m. at StartPort, it’s:

**7:00 AM**Chicago

**9:00 AM**Venezuela

**3:00 PM**Israel

**6:30 PM**Pune

**8:00 PM**Bangkok

**10:00 PM**South Korea

Central Standard Time, November to March. Some times shift by an hour the rest of the year.

### Twin-city fireside chats

A New Orleans founder and a founder from a partner chapter on one live stage, with both rooms watching.

### Global pitch mornings

Founders from several chapters pitch investors in the StartPort room and online.

### Chapter exchanges

Visiting chapter leaders and founders are hosted at StartPort, and New Orleans founders traveling abroad get introductions through ours.

## Louisiana just became a space and tech story.

### Starbase Louisiana

In August 2026, SpaceX announced a $100 billion Starship spaceport in Vermilion Parish, about 115 miles west of New Orleans, with first launch targeted as soon as 2029. Louisiana Economic Development expects 3,000 direct jobs over the next decade. The founders, suppliers and engineers who come to look at Louisiana will walk the Quarter first.

### The U.S. Space Academy bid

Louisiana’s congressional delegation is backing a bid to locate the proposed U.S. Space Academy in Southeast Louisiana, between Michoud and Starbase. StartPort would be a daily, public proof point of the startup community around that bid.

  1. **Starbase** Vermilion Parish
  2. **StartPort** French Quarter
  3. **Michoud** New Orleans East
  4. **Stennis** Mississippi

The Gulf Coast space corridor, west to east. StartPort would be its front door, in the place visitors actually go. Schematic, not to scale.

**The name and the mark.** The name nods to the Port of New Orleans, the city’s front door to the world for three centuries. StartPort is the front door for ideas and the people building them. The spire between the two cathedral towers doubles as a rocket.

## Help us build StartPort.

StartPort is a concept we’re pitching to sponsors, partners and the community. The full concept document, including the sponsorship model, is available on request.

[Request the concept document](<mailto:hello@startportnola.com?subject=StartPort%20concept%20document>)

### Help us build the board

We’re forming an advisory board of seven to nine people, one per seat, and we’re asking for names.

  * **Economic development** The region’s growth and space strategy
  * **Port and maritime** Three centuries as the world’s front door
  * **Space and aerospace** Michoud, Stennis, Starbase
  * **Founders** People who have built and sold companies here
  * **Investors** Capital already backing Louisiana startups
  * **Universities** Talent, research and student founders
  * **Corporate** Executives at likely sponsors
  * **French Quarter** A business or property owner who knows the blocks
  * **Legal and finance** Startup law and accounting

### Suggest a board member

Who should fill each advisory seat?

[Suggest a name](<mailto:hello@startportnola.com?subject=Board%20suggestion>)

### Introduce a sponsor

Which companies should we approach, and who knows them?

[Make an introduction](<mailto:hello@startportnola.com?subject=Sponsor%20introduction>)

### Point us to a storefront

Royal, Chartres or near Jackson Square, and landlords who would value this tenant.

[Share a space](<mailto:hello@startportnola.com?subject=Storefront%20lead>)

### Tell us what’s missing

What’s wrong, and what would make StartPort stronger?

[Send feedback](<mailto:hello@startportnola.com?subject=Start%20Port%20feedback>)

Meet the people behind StartPort and Startup Grind New Orleans on our [About page](</about#team>).


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# The Sugar Stack

URL: https://startportnola.com/sugar-stack

# The Sugar Stack

How ideas become companies in Louisiana, and why every success story starts with an enormous amount of grind.

See the full pathWhat is a unicorn?

## Why sugar?

Sugar has shaped Louisiana for more than two centuries, and it is a story of refinement. Every fall the mills run day and night through what Louisianans call **grinding season** , from late September into January.

It takes a mountain of cane to make a pile of sugar. Startups work the same way: thousands of ideas, conversations and prototypes go in at the bottom, and a small amount of finished crystal comes out the top. The Sugar Stack is the model Startup Grind New Orleans and StartPort use to make that path visible.

The industry’s history includes the forced labor of enslaved people. We use the refining process as a metaphor for how ideas mature, not to romanticize that past.

**17.4M** tons of cane processed in Louisiana in 2024, a record

**2.1M** tons of sugar produced from it

**≈8:1** tons of cane for every ton of sugar

Source: American Sugar Cane League and LSU AgCenter, 2024 crop report.

## The full path, from cane to crystal

Four layers, each matched to a step at the mill, a stage for founders, the Grind to Market question that moves you up, and the Louisiana organizations that help at that layer.

  1. Layer 1

### Raw cane

At the mill
    Harvest and grind. Cane is cut in the field and crushed at the mill to release its juice.
For founders
    Ideas, curiosity and first experiments. Most people enter here.
The question
    Who has this problem?
With us
    Beta in Progress, Tribe Code
Who helps in Louisiana
    
     * [Startup Grind New Orleans](</ecosystem#startup-grind-new-orleans>)
     * [Loyola Center for Entrepreneurship and Community Development](</ecosystem#loyola-center-for-entrepreneurship-and-community-development>)
     * [Albert Lepage Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (Tulane)](</ecosystem#albert-lepage-center-for-entrepreneurship-and-innovation-tulane>)
     * [NOLAvate Black](</ecosystem#nolavate-black>)
     * [Louisiana Small Business Development Center (Greater New Orleans)](</ecosystem#louisiana-small-business-development-center-greater-new-orleans>)
  2. Layer 2

### Boiling

At the mill
    Clarify and boil. The juice is cleaned and boiled down into thick syrup. Most of the water leaves here.
For founders
    Testing and customer discovery. Prototypes meet real users, and weak ideas boil off.
The question
    Will they use it?
With us
    Tribe Code, workshops, after-hours sessions
Who helps in Louisiana
    
     * [The Idea Village](</ecosystem#the-idea-village>)
     * [Founder Institute (Louisiana)](</ecosystem#founder-institute-louisiana>)
     * [Propeller](</ecosystem#propeller>)
     * [Camelback Ventures](</ecosystem#camelback-ventures>)
     * [New Orleans BioInnovation Center (NOBIC)](</ecosystem#new-orleans-bioinnovation-center-nobic>)
     * [Opportunity Machine](</ecosystem#opportunity-machine>)
  3. Layer 3

### Crystallization

At the mill
    Crystallize. In vacuum pans the syrup forms crystals, and a centrifuge spins them free of molasses.
For founders
    Real startups with traction. Usage clusters, revenue starts and first capital arrives.
The question
    Where does usage cluster?
With us
    Pitch events, Global Pitch Week local round
Who helps in Louisiana
    
     * [New Orleans Startup Fund](</ecosystem#new-orleans-startup-fund>)
     * [1834 Ventures](</ecosystem#1834-ventures>)
     * [Boot64 Ventures](</ecosystem#boot64-ventures>)
     * [Tulane University Innovation Institute](</ecosystem#tulane-university-innovation-institute>)
     * [Nexus Louisiana](</ecosystem#nexus-louisiana>)
  4. Layer 4

### Packaging

At the mill
    Refine, pack and ship. Raw sugar is refined, packaged and sent to market around the world.
For founders
    Scale and distribution. Companies grow, raise larger rounds, export and sometimes exit.
The question
    Can you reach more of them, repeatably?
With us
    Global sessions with Startup Grind chapters, the Startup Grind Conference
Who helps in Louisiana
    
     * [LA.IO (Louisiana Innovation)](</ecosystem#la-io-louisiana-innovation>)
     * [Corridor Ventures](</ecosystem#corridor-ventures>)
     * [Innovation Catalyst](</ecosystem#innovation-catalyst>)
     * [GNO, Inc. / StartupNOLA](</ecosystem#gno-inc-startupnola>)
     * [Source Louisiana Accelerator Program (LED)](</ecosystem#source-louisiana-accelerator-program-led>)

Organization names link to their entries in the [ecosystem directory](</ecosystem>).

## Two directions at once

**Up the stack:** ideas rise layer by layer, from raw cane to packaged product. Most never reach the top, and that is how it should work.

**Around the loop:** inside every layer, founders build, measure, learn and refine, over and over. The faster the loop turns, the faster an idea earns its way up.

  1. **Packaging** A few companies scale and export
  2. **Crystallization** Some ideas become real startups
  3. **Boiling** Many ideas get tested
  4. **Raw cane** Everyone starts here: the grind

## What is a unicorn?

A **unicorn** is a privately held startup valued at $1 billion or more. When venture capitalist Aileen Lee named them in 2013, she found just 39 in the United States: about 0.07% of venture-backed software startups, or **1 in 1,538**.

Each dot is one venture-backed software startup from Lee’s 2013 analysis. One is gold.

Unicorn
    A privately held startup valued at $1 billion or more. Venture capitalist Aileen Lee coined the term in TechCrunch on November 2, 2013, because companies reaching that mark were so rare.

Decacorn
    A private startup valued at $10 billion or more.

Hectocorn
    A private startup valued at $100 billion or more.

Exit
    The moment founders and investors turn ownership into cash, usually through an acquisition or a public listing.

Grinding season
    Louisiana’s name for the months when sugar mills run nonstop crushing cane, from late September or October into January.

The grind
    The bottom of the Sugar Stack: the experiments, customer conversations, failed prototypes and pivots that every success sits on top of.

Source: Aileen Lee, “Welcome To The Unicorn Club,” TechCrunch, November 2, 2013. Today’s trackers count well over a thousand unicorns worldwide, but they remain a tiny share of all startups.

## It takes an enormous amount of grind

Every unicorn was raw cane first.

The headlines show the crystal at the top. They skip the base: the founder who talked to a hundred customers before one paid, the prototype rebuilt three times, the pivot that saved the company. That base is the grind, and it is where most of the work happens.

In 2021, New Orleans got proof that the path runs all the way up: research software company Lucid became the city’s first tech unicorn when it sold for about $1.1 billion. It started the way every company here starts, at the bottom of the stack.

That is why our 2027 thesis is [Grind to Market](</thesis>). Building got cheap. The grind now lives in finding customers, so spend 65% of your time there.

Start at the bottom of the stack.

Beta in Progress meets on the second Thursday of every month. It’s free, and you don’t need a pitch or traction.

[See 2027 dates](</calendar#beta-in-progress>)[Startup Grind New Orleans](<https://www.startupgrind.com/new-orleans/>)

## Where are you on the stack?

Tell us your layer and what would help you move up. We use the answers to plan Beta in Progress topics and match founders with help.

Company fax

Which layer are you in?

Raw caneBoilingCrystallizationPackaging

What would help you move up a layer? Email, if you’d like a reply Send feedback

## Questions about the Sugar Stack

What is the Sugar Stack?
    The Sugar Stack is the model Startup Grind New Orleans and StartPort use to explain how ideas mature into companies in Louisiana. It borrows the four stages of Louisiana sugar making: raw cane, boiling, crystallization and packaging. Ideas move up through the layers, and a build, measure, learn loop runs inside every layer.
Why use sugar to explain startups?
    Sugar has shaped Louisiana’s economy for more than 200 years, and it is a process of refinement. In 2024 Louisiana mills processed about 17.4 million tons of cane to make about 2.1 million tons of sugar, roughly 8 tons of cane for every ton of crystal. Startups work the same way: a lot of raw material for a small amount of finished product.
What is a unicorn startup?
    A privately held startup valued at $1 billion or more. Aileen Lee coined the term in 2013, when about 0.07% of venture-backed software startups, roughly 1 in 1,538, had reached that mark.
Has New Orleans produced a unicorn?
    Yes. Lucid, a New Orleans market-research software company, became the city’s first tech unicorn in 2021 when it sold for about $1.1 billion.
Where do I start?
    At the bottom of the stack. Come to Beta in Progress, Startup Grind New Orleans’ free monthly builder session on the second Thursday of every month.


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# About us

URL: https://startportnola.com/about

# About us

StartPort and Startup Grind New Orleans are one effort with two parts: a founder community that meets every month, and a home for it in the French Quarter.

[Visit Startup Grind New Orleans](<https://www.startupgrind.com/new-orleans/>)Meet the team

## How it fits together

  1. The global network**Startup Grind**

A founder community started in Silicon Valley in 2010, whose chapters have reached more than 5 million entrepreneurs across 125 countries.

[startupgrind.com](<https://www.startupgrind.com/>)
  2. The local chapter**Startup Grind New Orleans**

The on-ramp for the city’s earliest builders: monthly Beta in Progress sessions, Tribe Code, pitch events and chapter collaborations.

[Chapter page and RSVPs](<https://www.startupgrind.com/new-orleans/>)
  3. The home base**StartPort**

Our concept for a glass-front founder hub in the French Quarter, where the chapter would work, meet and welcome visitors every day.

[The StartPort concept](</startport>)

[The model**The Sugar Stack** How ideas become companies in Louisiana, layer by layer.](</sugar-stack>) [The 2027 thesis**Grind to Market** Building got cheap. Spend 65% of your time finding customers.](</thesis>)

## Mission and vision

Our mission

> We put New Orleans’ earliest builders to work next to people who’ve done it before. Bring what you’re building. Leave with help, and with someone you helped.

Our vision

A New Orleans where any founder with a serious idea can find the people, mentors, and capital to build it here, without having to leave.

### The on-ramp

New Orleans has accelerators, funds, and programs built for companies that are already moving. The stretch before that, from first idea to first customers, is where most founders stall and where they’re most alone. We’re the on-ramp: a steady, open place to build, find customers, and get help from people a step ahead, so founders arrive at the next stage ready.

### Who we serve

At the center are early-stage founders building something that could scale. The door is open to everyone else too: first-time and aspiring founders, students, career-switchers, people with oddball ideas, startup employees, mentors, investors, and the simply curious.

### What we believe

  * **Founders lead.** Sponsors, universities and investors fuel the work. They don’t set the agenda.
  * **Take a 20-year view.** A bench of co-organizers, not one champion.
  * **No gatekeeping.** The density of connections is the whole point.
  * **Keep a steady rhythm.** Something for everyone, from napkin idea to raising money. Hands-on beats spectator.
  * **Give before you get.** Mentors ask how they can help. Nobody keeps score.
  * **We’re one node in the network.** We partner and cross-promote. Nobody owns a startup community.
  * **Measure connections.** Headcount is easy. The real signal is whether people are meeting, helping and hiring each other.
  * **Build on what’s here.** We don’t copy Silicon Valley.
  * **Make honest failure normal.** Everything is in beta.

## Culture is the original technology.

Before code, people built systems for working together: music, storytelling, trade networks, rituals. New Orleans has exported more of those than almost any city on earth.

We think that is a startup advantage, not a footnote. A city that knows how to improvise, collaborate and welcome strangers already has what a founder community needs. We build on what is here instead of copying Silicon Valley.

## What we do

Working sessions, pitch events, global connections and plenty of time to just hang out. See our social nights.

### Beta in Progress

Our free monthly builder session on the second Thursday: a roundtable, a topic discussion and Tribe Code. [2027 dates](</calendar#beta-in-progress>)

### Pitch events

The New Orleans round of Startup Grind’s Global Pitch Week, plus feedback-first pitch nights where founders show usage data, not decks.

### Global sessions

Live sessions with Startup Grind chapters from Chicago to Pune, Bangkok and South Korea, so New Orleans founders meet the world and the world meets them.

## Social nights

The best introductions in New Orleans happen away from the stage. Alongside Beta in Progress, we host casual nights where founders, builders, mentors and the curious just hang out.

### Trivia nights

Regular trivia at rotating spots across the city, starting at Fat Harry’s on St. Charles. Founders, builders and the curious, one team at a time.

### Watch parties

Saints Sundays, college football Saturdays and early-morning soccer. Big games are better with a room full of people you want to know.

### Game nights

Parcheesi, board games and cards. Low stakes, long tables and the kind of conversation a pitch night never gets to.

### Pinball nights

Quarters, flippers and a little friendly competition at the city’s pinball spots.

### Crawfish boils

Spring boils with the whole community. Bring a friend who’s thinking about starting something.

### We’d love your feedback on these.

Tell us what you’d show up for and where. We’ll build the 2027 social calendar around your answers.

Company fax

Which of these would you come to?

Trivia nightsWatch partiesGame nightsPinball nightsCrawfish boilsSomething else

Suggest a bar, venue, game or sport we should do Email, if you’d like a reply Tell us

## Team

**Rob Gaudet** Founder

Chapter Director of Startup Grind New Orleans. Building Louisiana tech companies since 1997, and the 2016 Louisianian of the Year for disaster response.

**Dr. James Guenther** Co-founder

New Orleans native and PhD biochemist. Chief Science Officer at Mariposa Technology, and a Loyola adjunct teaching AI and Business.

**Camille Gaudet** Sponsors, operations and events

Runs sponsor relationships, operations and the event calendar.

**Henry Pellerito** Sponsors and sales

Leads sponsor outreach and sales.

## Get involved

Come build with us, mentor a founder, or help us bring StartPort to the Quarter.

[RSVP on Startup Grind](<https://www.startupgrind.com/new-orleans/>)[Join the Discord](<https://discord.gg/2hCmbpZEd>)[hello@startportnola.com](<mailto:hello@startportnola.com>)

## Questions about us

What is StartPort?
    StartPort is a concept for a glass-front founder hub on Royal or Chartres Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans. It is being pitched to sponsors and partners, and it would be the home of Startup Grind New Orleans.
How is StartPort related to Startup Grind New Orleans?
    They are one effort with two parts. Startup Grind New Orleans is the community and its programming. StartPort is the place where that community would work, meet and welcome visitors every day.
What is Startup Grind?
    Startup Grind is a global founder community started in Silicon Valley in 2010 by Derek Andersen. Its chapters have reached more than 5 million entrepreneurs across 125 countries. Startup Grind New Orleans is the local chapter.
Who leads Startup Grind New Orleans?
    Rob Gaudet is the Chapter Director. StartPort’s co-founder is Dr. James Guenther.
How do I get involved?
    Come to Beta in Progress on the second Thursday of any month, join the community Discord, or email hello@startportnola.com to mentor, sponsor or suggest a board member.
Does it cost anything?
    Beta in Progress is free and open to everyone. You don’t need a pitch or traction to come.


---

# 2027 startup calendar

URL: https://startportnola.com/calendar

# 2027 Startup Calendar

Dates for New Orleans founders: Beta in Progress on the second Thursday of every month, plus the ecosystem’s biggest weeks, pitch competitions and deadlines.

Last updated November 11, 2026. All times Central.

## Upcoming dates

Monday, November 16 – Sunday, November 22, 2026| **Global Entrepreneurship Week, Greater New Orleans** StartupNOLA (GNO, Inc.) and partners · New Orleans, LouisianaGreater New Orleans joins Global Entrepreneurship Week for the first time, with local organizations hosting events across the week.[Details and registration](<https://startupnola.com/ecosystem/global-entrepreneurship-week-new-orleans-2026/>)  
---|---  
Tuesday, November 17, 2026, 4:00–6:00 PM| **R:3 River, Road, Rail Pitch Competition ($20K)** World Trade Center New Orleans, StartupNOLA and Gulf Coast Defense Catalyst · The Shop at the Contemporary Arts CenterPitch competition for logistics, transportation and defense-related startups.[Details and registration](<https://startupnola.com/r3-river-road-rail-pitch-competition/>)  
Friday, November 20, 2026| Deadline**Deadline: NOEW 2027 speaker applications close** New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (Loyola)Call for speakers for The Summit at Loyola. 2027 themes: Louisiana in Motion, Culture is Business, The New Rules of Building.[Details](<https://www.noew.org/>)  
Sunday, January 10, 2027, 11:59 PM| Deadline**Deadline: Tulane Business Model Competition applications close** Albert Lepage Center, Tulane UniversityApplications for the 2027 student venture competition.[Details](<https://freeman.tulane.edu/lepage/tulane-business-model-competition>)  
Monday, February 22 – Saturday, February 27, 2027| Startup Grind New Orleans**Global Pitch Week: New Orleans local round** Startup Grind New Orleans · New Orleans, LouisianaStartup Grind's worldwide pitch competition. Regionals follow March 3–4, 2027, with the global final on March 11, 2027.[Register](</register?event=global-pitch-week-new-orleans-local-round-2027-02-22>)[Event details](<https://www.startupgrind.com/new-orleans/>)  
Wednesday, March 3 – Thursday, March 4, 2027| **Global Pitch Week: regional rounds** Startup Grind · OnlineRegional rounds of Startup Grind's worldwide pitch competition.[Details and registration](<https://www.startupgrind.com/>)  
Monday, March 8, 2027, 1:00 PM| **Tulane Business Model Competition: semifinal round** Albert Lepage Center, Tulane University · Goldring/Woldenberg Business Complex, Marshall Family Commons, Tulane UniversityStudent ventures compete as part of New Orleans Entrepreneur Week.[Details and registration](<https://freeman.tulane.edu/lepage/tulane-business-model-competition>)  
Monday, March 8 – Saturday, March 13, 2027| **New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW) 2027** Produced by Loyola University New Orleans, powered by LA.IO · New Orleans, LouisianaA week of ideas, connections and opportunities for entrepreneurs, business leaders, creatives and innovators across New Orleans. Founded by The Idea Village.[Details and registration](<https://www.noew.org/>)  
Tuesday, March 9, 2027, 10:00 AM| **Tulane Business Model Competition: final round** Albert Lepage Center, Tulane University · Goldring/Woldenberg Business Complex, Marshall Family Commons, Tulane UniversityFinalists compete for cash prizes.[Details and registration](<https://freeman.tulane.edu/lepage/tulane-business-model-competition>)  
Thursday, March 11 – Friday, March 12, 2027| **The Summit at Loyola (NOEW 2027)** Loyola University New Orleans · Loyola University New OrleansNOEW's main conference days.[Details and registration](<https://www.noew.org/>)  
Thursday, March 11, 2027| **Global Pitch Week: global final** Startup Grind · OnlineThe worldwide final of Startup Grind's pitch competition.[Details and registration](<https://www.startupgrind.com/>)  
Monday, April 26 – Wednesday, April 28, 2027| **Startup Grind Conference 2027** Startup Grind · Fox Theatre, Redwood CityThe global Startup Grind conference in Redwood City, California. Exhibiting startups April 26; main conference April 27–28, 2027.[Details and registration](<https://www.startupgrind.com/>)  
  
## Beta in Progress: second Thursdays in 2027

Startup Grind New Orleans’ core gathering. A working session, not a panel. You don’t need a pitch or traction to come.

  * **Builder roundtable** Two minutes each, built around the 2027 thesis:
    * Who used what you built since last time?
    * What did the data tell you?
    * Who helped you, and who did you help?
  * **Topic discussion** A short video to watch beforehand, so everyone arrives ready to go deeper.
  * **Tribe Code** Bring a laptop, stay, and build together.

Free to attend. Times, venue and RSVP are on each event page.

[Register for Beta in Progress](</register>)

  1. Thursday, January 14, 2027Season opener[Register](</register?event=beta-in-progress-2027-01-14>)
  2. Thursday, February 11, 2027[Register](</register?event=beta-in-progress-2027-02-11>)
  3. Thursday, March 11, 2027NOEW week[Register](</register?event=beta-in-progress-2027-03-11>)
  4. Thursday, April 8, 2027[Register](</register?event=beta-in-progress-2027-04-08>)
  5. Thursday, May 13, 2027[Register](</register?event=beta-in-progress-2027-05-13>)
  6. Thursday, June 10, 2027[Register](</register?event=beta-in-progress-2027-06-10>)
  7. Thursday, July 8, 2027[Register](</register?event=beta-in-progress-2027-07-08>)
  8. Thursday, August 12, 2027[Register](</register?event=beta-in-progress-2027-08-12>)
  9. Thursday, September 9, 2027[Register](</register?event=beta-in-progress-2027-09-09>)
  10. Thursday, October 14, 2027[Register](</register?event=beta-in-progress-2027-10-14>)
  11. Thursday, November 11, 2027[Register](</register?event=beta-in-progress-2027-11-11>)
  12. Thursday, December 9, 2027Year-end session[Register](</register?event=beta-in-progress-2027-12-09>)

## 2027 dates to be announced

Annual events we expect in 2027. Exact dates will be posted here once the hosts confirm them.

January 2027 (date to be announced)| **Grind to Market session at The Nieux** Startup Grind New OrleansAI January session on finding your customer density.  
---|---  
March 2027 (date to be announced)| **IDEAcorps MBA Consulting Challenge** Loyola University New OrleansMBA teams build scale-up strategies for startups.  
Spring 2027 (date to be announced)| **Crawfish boil meetup** Startup Grind New OrleansVenue to be confirmed.  
Spring 2027 (date to be announced)| **Founder Institute Louisiana cohort** Founder Institute (Louisiana)Pre-seed accelerator cohort with Demo Day at a StartupNOLA meetup.  
Summer 2027 (date to be announced)| **Wolf Pack LaunchU** Loyola University New OrleansFounder bootcamp and summer program ending in a pitch competition.  
Fall 2027 (date to be announced)| **BioChallenge 2027** New Orleans BioInnovation CenterPitch competition; the 2026 finals were October 29, 2026.  
Fall 2027 (date to be announced)| **2027 Louisiana Startup Report release** Lepage Center (Tulane) and LA.IOStatewide startup benchmark; the 2026 report was released October 30, 2026.  
2027 (dates to be announced)| **Pitch Night, Demo Day and 3rd Coast Venture Summit** The Idea VillageThe Idea Village's pitch and investor events.  
2027 (dates to be announced)| **Black Tech NOLA** NOLAvate BlackThe Gulf South's first and largest Black tech conference.  
2027 (dates to be announced)| **Trivia nights at rotating spots across the city** Startup Grind New OrleansRegular trivia for founders, builders and the curious, starting at Fat Harry’s.  
December 2027 (date to be announced)| **Holiday party** Startup Grind New Orleans  
2027 (dates to be announced)| **Watch parties: football and soccer** Startup Grind New OrleansSaints Sundays, college football Saturdays and early-morning soccer.  
2027 (dates to be announced)| **Game nights: Parcheesi and more** Startup Grind New OrleansBoard games, cards and long tables.  
2027 (dates to be announced)| **Pinball nights** Startup Grind New OrleansFriendly competition at the city’s pinball spots.  
  
## Suggest an event or a venue

Hosting a founder event in Greater New Orleans, or know a great spot for trivia, a watch party or pinball? Tell us and we’ll add it. Please add events to the [StartupNOLA calendar](<https://startupnola.com/calendar-intake/>) too.

Company fax

What kind of suggestion?

An event to listA venue for social nightsA topic for Beta in Progress

Tell us the details: name, date, link or place Email, if you’d like a reply Send feedback


---

# Ecosystem directory

URL: https://startportnola.com/ecosystem

# New Orleans & Louisiana Startup Ecosystem

A directory of 64 organizations that support founders in Greater New Orleans and across Louisiana: accelerators, investors, universities, economic development groups, small business support, community spaces and service providers, with each one’s role in its own words where possible.

Last updated November 11, 2026. Roles are summarized from each organization’s own website and public announcements.

Accelerators & incubatorsInvestors & fundsUniversities & research parksEconomic development & governmentSmall business support & chambersCommunity, coworking & mediaService providers

## Accelerators & incubators

10 organizations

  * ### [The Idea Village](<https://www.ideavillage.org/>)

Accelerator (nonprofit) · Greater New Orleans

501(c)(3) committed to helping startup founders across the Gulf Coast scale their ventures. Founded New Orleans Entrepreneur Week.

**Programs:** IDEAinstitute (12-week idea-to-startup accelerator), VILLAGEx (for startups raising $1M+), Pitch Night, IDEAfuel, METRONOME, Coastal Innovation Challenge, Momentum Fund, Demo Day, 3rd Coast Venture Summit, mentor network, job board

[ideavillage.org](<https://www.ideavillage.org/>)
  * ### [Propeller](<https://gopropeller.org/>)

Social-impact accelerator · Greater New Orleans

Nonprofit helping entrepreneurs grow small businesses and nonprofits that tackle social and environmental disparities in New Orleans.

**Programs:** Impact Accelerator (startup and growth tracks), Inclusive Procurement, Access to Capital, Propeller Impact Fund II, coworking, event space for 175+; focus areas: economic development, education, food, health, water

[gopropeller.org](<https://gopropeller.org/>)
  * ### [New Orleans BioInnovation Center (NOBIC)](<https://neworleansbio.com/>)

Life-sciences incubator · Greater New Orleans

Empowers Louisiana innovators to build biotech businesses through commercialization services, premier facilities and a support network.

**Programs:** Lab and office leasing, Core Lab, event space, free commercialization consulting, BioFellows, New Orleans BioFund, BioChallenge pitch competition

[neworleansbio.com](<https://neworleansbio.com/>)
  * ### [Camelback Ventures](<https://www.camelbackventures.org/>)

Accelerator (nonprofit) · Greater New Orleans

New Orleans-based nonprofit that increases access to opportunity for entrepreneurs of color and women by investing in their ventures and leadership while advocating for fairness in their funding.

**Programs:** Camelback Fellowship (up to $50K investment for early-stage founders), Guardian Summit; $10M+ invested in 200+ entrepreneurs since 2015

[camelbackventures.org](<https://www.camelbackventures.org/>)
  * ### [Founder Institute (Louisiana)](<https://fi.co/louisiana>)

Accelerator · Statewide

Louisiana chapter of the global pre-seed accelerator, turning ideas into fundable startups with a structured process and mentors from Louisiana's investor and founder community.

**Programs:** FI Core accelerator (spring and fall cohorts), Demo Day at StartupNOLA's monthly meetup, partnership with STartUP Northshore

[fi.co/louisiana](<https://fi.co/louisiana>)
  * ### [TECHPLUG](<https://techplug.tech/about-us/>)

Health-tech innovation · Greater New Orleans

Innovation firm bridging tech, health and diverse populations; works with tech founders addressing health disparities in vulnerable and marginalized communities.

**Programs:** The Lab by TECHPLUG (2600 Ursulines Ave, Tremé), 9-month community-centric immersion program for health-tech companies, Queen Mother (QM) program

[techplug.tech/about-us](<https://techplug.tech/about-us/>)
  * ### [Nexus Louisiana](<https://www.nexusla.org/>)

Incubator · Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge-based 501(c)(3) created by the Louisiana Legislature that gives high-potential, technology-enabled companies statewide the coaching, capital and connections they need to accelerate growth.

**Programs:** Wraparound support for early-stage technical founders: mentors, programming, workspace, tools; Venture Capital Apprentice Program (with LSU, Innovation Catalyst and Red Stick Angels); BREW

[nexusla.org](<https://www.nexusla.org/>)
  * ### [Opportunity Machine](<https://opportunitymachine.org/>)

Incubator · Acadiana

Lafayette nonprofit supporting early-stage, innovative technology startups with incubator and accelerator mentorship programs.

**Programs:** Builder Program 1.0 (3-month customer discovery and business model program), incubator and accelerator

[opportunitymachine.org](<https://opportunitymachine.org/>)
  * ### [FOODii (LSU AgCenter Food Innovation Institute)](<https://www.lsuagcenter.com/>)

Incubator · Baton Rouge

LSU AgCenter resource center and business incubator that helps entrepreneurs start and grow food businesses.

**Programs:** Food business incubation, technical resources

[lsuagcenter.com](<https://www.lsuagcenter.com/>)
  * ### [Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program (EAP)](<https://www.eapla.com/>)

Investor · North Louisiana

Run by North Louisiana innovation hub BRF: mentor teams work alongside founders on business models, go-to-market plans and due-diligence readiness for angel or VC investment.

**Programs:** Mentor-led accelerator; New Louisiana Angel Fund series (Fund 3)

[eapla.com](<https://www.eapla.com/>)

## Investors & funds

6 organizations

  * ### [New Orleans Startup Fund](<https://neworleansstartupfund.org/>)

Investor · Greater New Orleans

Nonprofit seed fund that invests in and guides early-stage ventures poised to create economic prosperity and jobs in the Greater New Orleans region.

**Programs:** Seed investment, capital-readiness technical assistance, portfolio support

[neworleansstartupfund.org](<https://neworleansstartupfund.org/>)
  * ### [1834 Ventures](<https://www.1834.vc/>)

Investor · Greater New Orleans

Community-rooted, early-stage venture capital firm based in New Orleans. Its $20M fund backs startups founded by Tulane alumni, faculty and extended community; SSBCI-designated fund in partnership with Louisiana Economic Development.

**Programs:** Pre-seed to Series A, sector-agnostic, checks of $50K to $1M; works with the Tulane Innovation Institute and Tulane Venture Fund; Friends of the Fund

[1834.vc](<https://www.1834.vc/>)
  * ### [Boot64 Ventures](<https://boot64.com/>)

Investor · Greater New Orleans

Metairie-based venture fund (Magnolia Fund I) that discovers, invests in and supports Louisiana-based entrepreneurs who need startup capital, including veterans, socially and economically disadvantaged founders and rural businesses.

**Programs:** Pre-seed and seed investment, business assistance; participant in Louisiana's SSBCI seed capital program

[boot64.com](<https://boot64.com/>)
  * ### [Corridor Ventures](<https://corridorvc.com/>)

Investor · Greater New Orleans

New Orleans-headquartered venture capital firm (founded 2022) closing the capital access gap in the Southeast, with New Orleans as its anchor and Louisiana a core part of its strategy; focused on problem-solver founders pursuing scalable innovation.

**Programs:** $50M fund investing across the Southeast, especially Louisiana and Mississippi

[corridorvc.com](<https://corridorvc.com/>)
  * ### [Innovation Catalyst](<https://www.innovationcatalyst.us/>)

Investor · Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge nonprofit venture development organization working to strengthen and broaden Louisiana's entrepreneurial ecosystem by driving the formation of new high-growth, scalable companies.

**Programs:** The Catalyst Fund (evergreen early-stage fund), Red Stick Angel Network, Venture Capital Apprentice Program, BREW High-Stakes Pitch Competition ($100K prize)

[innovationcatalyst.us](<https://www.innovationcatalyst.us/>)
  * ### [Red Stick Angel Network](<https://www.innovationcatalyst.us/red-stick-angels>)

Investor · Baton Rouge

Angel network (a subsidiary of Innovation Catalyst) of accredited investors in greater Baton Rouge that identifies, vets and funds early-stage, high-growth companies throughout Louisiana.

**Programs:** Angel investment, coaching and connections

[innovationcatalyst.us/red-stick-angels](<https://www.innovationcatalyst.us/red-stick-angels>)

## Universities & research parks

12 organizations

  * ### [Albert Lepage Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (Tulane)](<https://freeman.tulane.edu/lepage>)

University · Greater New Orleans

Tulane Freeman School of Business center. Leads the Louisiana Startup Report with LA.IO, the statewide benchmark of the startup economy.

**Programs:** Louisiana Startup Report, Tulane Business Model Competition, Pitch Friday Series, Student Venture Incubator, Innovators-in-Residence, LEAP for small businesses, mentorship, Tulane Entrepreneurship Awards

[freeman.tulane.edu/lepage](<https://freeman.tulane.edu/lepage>)
  * ### [Tulane University Innovation Institute](<https://innovation.tulane.edu/>)

University · Greater New Orleans

Established in 2022 to help Tulane students, faculty and community innovators in Greater New Orleans develop ideas, launch startups and attract resources; converts research into marketable products.

**Programs:** Tulane Ventures ($10M seed fund for healthcare, technology and climate/energy startups, with a focus on women- and minority-led ventures), Tulane Venture Fellows, proof-of-concept and gap funding, commercialization and spin-outs

[innovation.tulane.edu](<https://innovation.tulane.edu/>)
  * ### [Loyola Center for Entrepreneurship and Community Development](<https://startup.loyno.edu/>)

University · Greater New Orleans

Where Loyola students, alumni, faculty, staff and community members turn ideas into action. Produces New Orleans Entrepreneur Week and hosts The Summit at Loyola.

**Programs:** IDEAcorps MBA Consulting Challenge, IDEAfellows, Innovate.LOYNO, Lean Launchpad (FedTech), Side Hustle Expo, Wolf Pack LaunchU, Savoie Ideation Lab

[startup.loyno.edu](<https://startup.loyno.edu/>)
  * ### [Xavier University of Louisiana](<https://www.xula.edu/>)

University · Greater New Orleans

New Orleans HBCU; hosts the Louisiana SBDC Greater New Orleans regional office (Xavier South).

**Programs:** Louisiana SBDC Greater New Orleans office

[xula.edu](<https://www.xula.edu/>)
  * ### [SUNO Small Business Development and Management Institute](<https://www.suno.edu/>)

University · Greater New Orleans

Southern University at New Orleans incubator offering workshops and consulting to established small businesses and people considering starting one.

**Programs:** Workshops, consulting

[suno.edu](<https://www.suno.edu/>)
  * ### [LSU New Orleans Research & Technology Park (The Beach at UNO)](<https://thebeachuno.org/>)

Research park · Greater New Orleans

A community where academia, government and entrepreneurs come together. Owned by the University of New Orleans Research & Technology Foundation.

**Programs:** Office and lab space for lease, StartupUNO, Louisiana Wind Energy Hub, NeXus, Louisiana Future Energy Center

[thebeachuno.org](<https://thebeachuno.org/>)
  * ### [Southeastern Incubator (Southeastern Louisiana University)](<https://www.southeastern.edu/>)

University · Northshore

Office space and professional consulting for potential and existing businesses in the five Florida Parishes: Washington, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Livingston and St. Helena.

**Programs:** Incubator space, consulting

[southeastern.edu](<https://www.southeastern.edu/>)
  * ### [Bayou Region Incubator (Nicholls State University)](<https://www.nicholls.edu/>)

University · Bayou Region

Incubator focused on the South Bayou region, open to anyone, offering workspace and workshops to help small businesses grow.

**Programs:** Workspace, workshops

[nicholls.edu](<https://www.nicholls.edu/>)
  * ### [LSU Innovation Park](<https://www.lsu.edu/>)

Research park · Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge complex dedicated to technological innovation, startups and commercializing research; services open to any business.

**Programs:** Conference space, connections to LSU faculty, research and alumni

[lsu.edu](<https://www.lsu.edu/>)
  * ### [LSU Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute](<https://www.lsu.edu/business/sdeis/index.php>)

University · Baton Rouge

LSU's entrepreneurship institute in the E. J. Ourso College of Business.

**Programs:** Entrepreneurship education and student ventures

[lsu.edu/business/sdeis/index.php](<https://www.lsu.edu/business/sdeis/index.php>)
  * ### [ULL Louisiana Entrepreneurship & Economic Development Center](<https://business.louisiana.edu/leed>)

University · Acadiana

University of Louisiana at Lafayette center for entrepreneurship and economic development.

**Programs:** Entrepreneurship programs

[business.louisiana.edu/leed](<https://business.louisiana.edu/leed>)
  * ### [The Enterprise Center at Louisiana Tech](<https://www.latech.edu/>)

University · North Louisiana

Office space and access to Louisiana Tech faculty resources for corporations, startups, government agencies and other organizations.

**Programs:** Office space, faculty resources

[latech.edu](<https://www.latech.edu/>)

## Economic development & government

15 organizations

  * ### [GNO, Inc. / StartupNOLA](<https://startupnola.com/>)

Regional economic development · Greater New Orleans

GNO, Inc. is the economic development nonprofit for the 10-parish Southeast Louisiana region. StartupNOLA is its ecosystem-building initiative connecting entrepreneurs, investors, higher education and support organizations.

**Programs:** Ecosystem calendar, directory, Startup Noir NOLA, NOLA Entrepreneurship Council, Global Entrepreneurship Week New Orleans, R:3 River, Road, Rail pitch competition, Gulf Coast Defense Catalyst, jobs board

[startupnola.com](<https://startupnola.com/>)
  * ### [LA.IO (Louisiana Innovation)](<https://la.io/>)

State innovation office · Statewide

A division of Louisiana Economic Development with a mission to position Louisiana as a global leader in innovation. Offers capital, coaching and connections to founders, investors and partners.

**Programs:** Louisiana Growth Fund, equity partners, lending pathways, accelerator support, SBIR/STTR help, Rural Tech Catalyst Fund, LA.IO events, Innovation Labs, ecosystem map; powers NOEW; co-produces the Louisiana Startup Report

[la.io](<https://la.io/>)
  * ### [City of New Orleans](<https://nola.gov/>)

Government · Greater New Orleans

City government. Its Office of Economic Development supports the tech ecosystem by backing ESO grant applications, connecting industry with higher education to grow tech talent, and working to expand access to capital, especially for entrepreneurs of color.

**Programs:** Office of Economic Development

[nola.gov](<https://nola.gov/>)
  * ### [Source Louisiana Accelerator Program (LED)](<https://www.opportunitylouisiana.gov/source-louisiana>)

State program · Statewide

Louisiana Economic Development program that equips Louisiana businesses with a plan to gain visibility and compete for contracts from major buyers.

**Programs:** Supplier readiness accelerator

[opportunitylouisiana.gov/source-louisiana](<https://www.opportunitylouisiana.gov/source-louisiana>)
  * ### [JEDCO (Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission)](<https://jedco.org/>)

Parish economic development · Greater New Orleans

Independent yet complementary arm of Jefferson Parish government whose mission is to build a resilient, equitable, diverse and competitive economy by driving quality jobs, entrepreneurship, innovation and investment in Jefferson Parish.

**Programs:** Business services, small business financing, Greater New Orleans Food & Beverage Incubator, Churchill Innovation & Research Campus, JEDCO Challenge

[jedco.org](<https://jedco.org/>)
  * ### [St. Tammany Corporation](<https://sttammanyedc.org/>)

Parish economic development · Northshore

Lead economic development organization for St. Tammany Parish and the comprehensive resource center for business services across the parish.

**Programs:** Business retention and attraction, site selection, workforce development, incentives, STartUP Northshore

[sttammanyedc.org](<https://sttammanyedc.org/>)
  * ### [St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation](<https://www.sbedf.org/>)

Parish economic development · Greater New Orleans

Official economic development organization for St. Bernard Parish; a 501(c)(3) whose mission is to create and retain jobs, build prosperity and improve quality of life, including growing new sectors and entrepreneurship.

**Programs:** Business development, St. Claude Collective, Resilient St. Bernard

[sbedf.org](<https://www.sbedf.org/>)
  * ### [St. Charles Parish Economic Development](<https://www.stcharlesparish.gov/departments/economic-development-and-tourism>)

Parish economic development · Greater New Orleans

St. Charles Parish government's economic development and tourism department and a GNO, Inc. regional partner.

**Programs:** Business attraction, site information, tourism

[stcharlesparish.gov/departments/economic-development-and-tourism](<https://www.stcharlesparish.gov/departments/economic-development-and-tourism>)
  * ### [Tangipahoa Economic Development Foundation](<https://www.tedf.org/>)

Parish economic development · Northshore

Identifies new job and investment opportunities, helps existing businesses retain workers and expand, and advocates for economic development and workforce needs in Tangipahoa Parish.

**Programs:** Business retention and expansion, workforce and education advocacy

[tedf.org](<https://www.tedf.org/>)
  * ### [Washington Economic Development Foundation](<https://www.opportunitylouisiana.gov/resource/washington-economic-development-foundation>)

Parish economic development · Northshore

Economic development organization for Washington Parish and a GNO, Inc. regional partner.

**Programs:** Business attraction and expansion

[opportunitylouisiana.gov/resource/washington-economic-development-foundation](<https://www.opportunitylouisiana.gov/resource/washington-economic-development-foundation>)
  * ### [Algiers Economic Development Foundation](<https://www.algierseconomic.com/>)

Neighborhood economic development · Greater New Orleans

Nonprofit founded in 1991 to build a sustainable, business-friendly environment that grows investment and jobs in Westbank New Orleans through advocacy, marketing, business development and recruitment.

**Programs:** Free resources for developers and business owners, small business survey, youth workforce internships

[algierseconomic.com](<https://www.algierseconomic.com/>)
  * ### [Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership](<https://greaterbatonrouge.org/>)

Regional economic development · Baton Rouge

Regional economic development organization for the Baton Rouge area.

**Programs:** Business attraction and small business programs

[greaterbatonrouge.org](<https://greaterbatonrouge.org/>)
  * ### [Lafayette Economic Development Authority (LEDA)](<https://lafayette.org/>)

Regional economic development · Acadiana

Economic development authority for Lafayette Parish.

**Programs:** Business development and attraction

[lafayette.org](<https://lafayette.org/>)
  * ### [One Acadiana](<https://www.oneacadiana.org/>)

Regional economic development · Acadiana

Regional economic development organization for the Acadiana region.

**Programs:** Business attraction and regional advocacy

[oneacadiana.org](<https://www.oneacadiana.org/>)
  * ### [North Louisiana Economic Partnership (NLEP)](<https://nlep.org/>)

Regional economic development · North Louisiana

Regional economic development organization for North Louisiana.

**Programs:** Business attraction

[nlep.org](<https://nlep.org/>)

## Small business support & chambers

10 organizations

  * ### [Fund 17](<https://www.fund17.org/>)

Small business support (nonprofit) · Greater New Orleans

501(c)(3) community development nonprofit supporting entrepreneurs in the 17 wards of New Orleans, focused on BIPOC and under-resourced founders often overlooked by traditional incubation; offers accessible business services, capital and workspace.

**Programs:** 1:1 business development, Capital Ready, micro-loan access, affordable workspace, business tax preparation; Financial Wellness Collaborative with Propeller and Thrive

[fund17.org](<https://www.fund17.org/>)
  * ### [Flyte](<https://flyteeducation.org/>)

Small business support (nonprofit) · Greater New Orleans

New Orleans nonprofit (Financial Learning You Take Everywhere) that empowers entrepreneurs and families, especially Black women business owners, with the skills and resources to overcome systemic financial inequities.

**Programs:** Entrepreneur Empowerment Program (50+ early-stage owners a year), mentorship, financial education, access to professional resources; largely virtual

[flyteeducation.org](<https://flyteeducation.org/>)
  * ### [El Centro](<https://www.elcentrola.org/>)

Small business support (nonprofit) · Greater New Orleans

New Orleans 501(c)(3) on a mission to close the racial wealth gap for Hispanics in South Louisiana, fostering Latino economic mobility with culturally competent, Spanish-language business support.

**Programs:** Spanish-language business coaching, monthly start-a-business workshops with LA SBDC, occupational-license guidance with the City, small business accelerator for Spanish-speaking owners

[elcentrola.org](<https://www.elcentrola.org/>)
  * ### [Urban League of Louisiana](<https://urbanleaguela.org/>)

Small business support (nonprofit) · Greater New Orleans

New Orleans-based affiliate of the National Urban League working to build a Louisiana where Black people and other communities of the global majority achieve economic self-reliance, generational wealth and civil rights; entrepreneurship is a core avenue.

**Programs:** Women's Business Resource Center and Entrepreneurship Center (workshops, counseling, technical assistance), Black Business Works Fund, SEE CHANGE Collective

[urbanleaguela.org](<https://urbanleaguela.org/>)
  * ### [b1 Foundation](<https://b1-foundation.org/>)

Small business support (nonprofit) · Greater New Orleans

501(c)(3) public charity created by b1Bank to serve small-business owners in its Louisiana and Texas markets, focused on entrepreneurs and education.

**Programs:** One-on-one business counseling, financial coaching, lender recommendations, training classes and seminars, K-12 financial literacy

[b1-foundation.org](<https://b1-foundation.org/>)
  * ### [Louisiana Small Business Development Center (Greater New Orleans)](<https://louisianasbdc.org/>)

Small business support · Statewide

Statewide SBDC network (hosted by LSU) partnered with the SBA and LED; the Greater New Orleans office at Xavier University serves Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James and St. John parishes.

**Programs:** Business consulting and training; Northshore office at Southeastern

[louisianasbdc.org](<https://louisianasbdc.org/>)
  * ### [Thrive New Orleans](<https://www.thrivenola.org/>)

Small business support (nonprofit) · Greater New Orleans

Social enterprise building thriving local economies through climate-resilient workforce and small-business programs.

**Programs:** Thrive Works Green, Green Business Academy, Thrive Center (T9), Financial Wellness Collaborative with Propeller and Fund 17

[thrivenola.org](<https://www.thrivenola.org/>)
  * ### [New Orleans Chamber of Commerce](<https://www.neworleanschamber.org/>)

Chamber of commerce · Greater New Orleans

Founded in 2004 to give members the opportunity to build mutually beneficial partnerships within the City of New Orleans, with a 501(c)(3) Foundation focused on education and community development.

**Programs:** Advocacy, networking, member directory, Foundation programs

[neworleanschamber.org](<https://www.neworleanschamber.org/>)
  * ### [New Orleans Regional Black Chamber of Commerce](<https://nolablkchamber.org/>)

Chamber of commerce · Greater New Orleans

501(c)(6) that supports, promotes and educates its members for sustainable growth while empowering the Black business community through entrepreneurship and economic activity in Greater New Orleans.

**Programs:** Member advocacy, Women in Business Conference, networking

[nolablkchamber.org](<https://nolablkchamber.org/>)
  * ### [Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana](<https://hispanicchamberla.com/>)

Chamber of commerce · Greater New Orleans

Since 1984, fostering a thriving business climate within Louisiana's Hispanic community; its Foundation focuses on personalized, Spanish-language programming for business owners.

**Programs:** Business training with the Louisiana SBDC (housed at its center), Spanish-language programming, member services

[hispanicchamberla.com](<https://hispanicchamberla.com/>)

## Community, coworking & media

7 organizations

  * ### [Startup Grind New Orleans](<https://www.startupgrind.com/new-orleans/>)

Founder community · Greater New Orleans

The New Orleans chapter of Startup Grind and the on-ramp for the city's earliest builders. We put New Orleans' earliest builders to work next to people who've done it before.

**Programs:** Beta in Progress (second Thursdays), Global Pitch Week local round, trivia nights, crawfish boil, holiday party

[startupgrind.com/new-orleans](<https://www.startupgrind.com/new-orleans/>)
  * ### [NOLAvate Black](<https://nolavateblack.com/>)

Tech community · Greater New Orleans

New Orleans' Black Tech Collective, building the collective capacity and economic sustainability of Black tech professionals and entrepreneurs and improving racial equity and inclusion in tech.

**Programs:** Black Tech NOLA (the Gulf South's first and largest Black tech conference), Black Tech NOLA AI Summit, Black Tech Lab meetups, AI hackathon with NSBE Louisiana, job board

[nolavateblack.com](<https://nolavateblack.com/>)
  * ### [The Shop at the CAC](<https://shopworkspace.com/location/new-orleans/>)

Coworking · Greater New Orleans

Workspace community at the Contemporary Arts Center that supports innovation and entrepreneurship; The Idea Village is a member.

**Programs:** Coworking, offices, event space

[shopworkspace.com/location/new-orleans](<https://shopworkspace.com/location/new-orleans/>)
  * ### [Scale New Orleans](<https://scaleneworleans.com/>)

Coworking · Greater New Orleans

Warehouse District coworking community (since 2019) where members connect with the network needed to test and build world-changing ideas; part coworking space, part makerspace.

**Programs:** Flex memberships, private offices, day passes, meeting rooms, maker equipment, community events

[scaleneworleans.com](<https://scaleneworleans.com/>)
  * ### [Palette Northshore](<https://palettenorthshore.com/>)

Coworking · Northshore

Workspace and resource community for entrepreneurs in Covington, the first of its kind on the Northshore, working with St. Tammany Corporation, STartUP Northshore, GNO, Inc., The Idea Village and Southeastern.

**Programs:** Flexible workspace, networking, entrepreneur resources

[palettenorthshore.com](<https://palettenorthshore.com/>)
  * ### The Nieux

Venue · Greater New Orleans

Event venue at 2040 St. Charles Avenue, built from the restaurant that once operated on the Eiffel Tower; 2026 home of Beta in Progress.

**Programs:** Events and meetings

  * ### [The Maroon](<https://loyolamaroon.com/>)

Media · Greater New Orleans

Loyola University New Orleans' student newspaper and a Louisiana Startup Report community partner.

**Programs:** Campus news

[loyolamaroon.com](<https://loyolamaroon.com/>)

## Service providers

4 organizations

  * ### [trepwise](<https://trepwise.com/>)

Consulting · Greater New Orleans

Impact-focused consulting firm that helps organizations identify challenges and opportunities through entrepreneurial thinking, advising on finance, operations, marketing and strategy.

**Programs:** Strategic planning, operations and financial advisory, pro bono program, capacity-building with Propeller and Fund 17, Trep Tip series

[trepwise.com](<https://trepwise.com/>)
  * ### [LookFar Labs](<https://www.lookfar.com/company-overview/>)

Product studio · Greater New Orleans

New Orleans software design and development studio that works with SMBs and funded startups to help them innovate and grow, putting business goals first and technology second.

**Programs:** App development, product design, staff augmentation, brand development, user research, solution architecture

[lookfar.com/company-overview](<https://www.lookfar.com/company-overview/>)
  * ### [Revelry Labs](<https://revelry.co/>)

Product studio · Greater New Orleans

New Orleans software company (founded 2012) with product strategists, designers and engineers who build custom software for clients across the product life cycle.

**Programs:** Product development, staff augmentation, UX/UI design, apprentice program

[revelry.co](<https://revelry.co/>)
  * ### [Stone Pigman Walther Wittmann](<https://www.stonepigman.com/>)

Law firm · Greater New Orleans

New Orleans law firm and a Louisiana Startup Report community partner.

**Programs:** Legal services

[stonepigman.com](<https://www.stonepigman.com/>)

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