The Founders of Lucid and Levelset, local startup companies acquired for a combined $1.6B in 2021, have come together with local investors and startup champions to pledge $750,000 of investment in three leading companies from the Idea Village’s VILLAGEx 2022 accelerator program.
Louisiana
The Maritime Executive: New Orleans Startup Seeks to Develop Swappable-Battery Electric Ships
A duo of graduates from the US Merchant Marine Academy have started a company called Fleetzero, which plans to build battery-electric ships that sail between nearby major ports. Plans call for offloading of containers of freight and nearly depleted batteries, then taking aboard replacement containers of freight and freshly recharged batteries. With this method, ships could carry a comparatively small battery bank.
Silicon Bayou News: FIVE EVENTS NOT TO MISS AT NEW ORLEANS ENTREPRENEUR WEEK
New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW) is back and better than ever with the in-person festival of entrepreneurship and innovation in New Orleans slated for March 21-25, 2022.
STL News: Louisiana Governor Applauds Investment in Broadband
Baton Rouge, LA (STL.News) Gov. John Bel Edwards joins the U.S. Dept. of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in announcing $277 million in grants to expand broadband across communities in Louisiana and 11 other states.
Silicon Bayou News: THE BIG ELIXIR CONFERENCE DRAWS DEVELOPERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO NEW ORLEANS
The Big Elixir conference will take place on March 24-25, 2022 at Le Petit Theatre in New Orleans after a two year COVID-fueled hiatus. The single-track conference focuses on the Elixir coding language and attracts speakers and attendees from all over the world.
Grit Daily: Michael Hecht, CEO of GNO, on Why New Orleans Is a Great Place to Start a Business
Michael Hecht, CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc, the post-Hurricane Katrina regional economic development organization, has deep ancestral roots in New Orleans but he didn’t call the city home until after Hurricane Katrina had struck in 2005.
Silicon Bayou News: THE LAB BY TECHPLUG OPENS IN NEW ORLEANS
TechPLUG is an Atlanta-based innovation firm that bridges the divide in tech, health and diverse populations. The company recently expanded its footprint in New Orleans with The Lab, a brick-and-mortar location for a cohort of health tech businesses working in vulnerable communities.
Grit Daily: Why New Orleans is a Great City to Start a Business
When you think of hot spots for startups, Austin and Silicon Valley typically come to mind. But there’s another city starting to make its mark in the business world: New Orleans. In fact, this past fall, analytics company Lucid based in NOLA sold for about $1.1 billion, making it the city’s first “unicorn.” And construction software platform Levelset developed in town was also acquired for $500 million. So, why is the Big Easy becoming a hub for big business growth?
Silicon Bayou News: THE BREW 11 HIGH STAKES PITCH FINALISTS HAVE BEEN SELECTED
Today, Nexus Louisiana announces the three companies selected to compete head-to-head for the High-Stakes Pitch Competition. A $100,000 investment prize will be awarded to the winning company at the live pitch event during Baton Rouge Entrepreneurship Week on Thursday, March 10. The finalist companies are Falaya (Barett Blondeau, founder and CEO), ParkZen (Manos Chatzopoulos, CEO and co-founder) and Cluey Consumer (Maryclaire Manard, founder and CEO).
Biz New Orleans: Black-Owned Investment Firm Celebrates 7 Years in Business
Black-owned financial services firm JECohen & Co., which is celebrating its seventh anniversary this year, has been steadily diversifying its wealth management offerings.
