Are you an entrepreneur looking to found a startup? Have you been depressed by the price of real estate and startup cost in cities like Boston, Raleigh, and in the Silicon Valley? Why not consider New Orleans?
I know, your first thought is 'New Orleans, the place I went to for Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest? What do they know about startups?' It turns out quite a lot.
We have many, many startups in the are right now. Here is just a sample taken from the wiki of my friend Chris Schultz of Voodoo Ventures.
Christopher Boudy, Sr. has interwoven his love for technology into different other ventures that he is invovled in. Working with CBX WebDesigns to provide affordable web development services to local New Orleans start-ups and non-profits. Partnering with SENO as their Technology Committee Chair to push more social change throughout the city. Also bringing technology into the catholic church with Technology In Youth Ministry.
Jeff Madison at Cool Hand Nuke has moved into private beta and projects a move into full public beta April '09. During this time you can read the Cool Hand Nuke blog with tips for job seekers, site updates and industry news. Cool Hand Nuke is a Web 2.0 virtual community and job engine for the engaged nuclear professional.
Eric Morgan & Damien LaManna of Morgan and Company recently launched Zymeaux - Local Grown Mobile Marketing. The New Orleans based tech-startup aims to help small businesses and local retailers in the region by leveraging one of the fastest-growing and cost-effective communications tools available - SMS based mobile messaging.
Net2NO led a delegation of Digital Media professionals and Social Entrepreneurs to the SXSW Interactive Conference in Austin, TX. The wildly successful outreach effort, sponsored in part by GNO Inc., The DDD, and the City of New Orleans, put our region's thriving tech startup community on display and encouraged potential new businesses to take a look at the incentives our region has to offer.
Zach Kupperman and the PolicyPitch team are developing new features for Policypitch.com. New features include legislative tracking in all 50 states, tools to collaborate with likeminded citizens, and the ability to pitch new public policy proposals directly to your elected officials. Policypitch is also a finalist in the Tulane Business Plan Competition on April 17, 2009.
Myfirstpaycheck CEO Austin Lavin has been hired to run NOLA YURP's new startup WorkNOLA.com. WorkNOLA, currently in private beta, is a job connection platform for creatives and entrepreneurs in New Orleans.
Don Kelly Productions launched the first ever totally "green" music festival in Louisiana - project30-90. The festival will take place in New Orleans on 9/5/09 and will feature solar and wind turbine powered staging & lighting and a full slate of environmentally conscious initiatives. Artist lineup and location will be announced on April 22 - Earth Day. www.project3090.com
Katie Del Guercio will be managing business development in New Orleans for an internet start-up called KODA, which was co-founded by Tulane grads Jeff Berger and Tony York. KODA is a shared space that connects people to opportunities through a transparent approach to hiring. KODA's platform facilitates holistic connections based on talent, personality and corporate culture. The Beta site will launch in the Bay Area and New Orleans markets this fall. KODA is collaborating with Robbie Vitrano's team at the Trumpet Group.
NOLA Brewing, a local post-Katrina start-up, launched two beers (NOLA Blonde and NOLA Brown) in New Orleans this month bringing craft brewing back to New Orleans, a city rich with brewing history.
Tiffany Starnes of Fabre Smith & Coco will be speaking at WordCamp Nola on social media and how it can be utilized in business practices to elevate your brand and create buzz.
This is by no means a complete list. I think you can see that we have a thriving startup community here in New Orleans. I think when you combine this with real estate prices far below typical startup cities and a cost of living to match we provide a viable alternative for your business. When you add the fact that your already here at Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest time I think you'll see that its no contest.
If you have any questions about finding a space for your company or a home for yourself when you move here please feel free to call me. My number is (504)208-1766 and its also on the right near the top of the page. You can also email me at chris [AT] thejohnstonteam [dot] net
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One of the things I have loved about my city is the number of educational opportunities available here. Here is a list of some of the institutions in New Orleans. I apologize in advance if I've left any out.
4 year colleges and universities
Medical Schools
Law Schools
Now while this depth and breadth of educational institutions is nearly unmatched by any city in America of similar size and population ( I added that last part so I don't get mail from all you people in big cities like Boston and San Francisco). What is sorely lacking here is job opportunities for all the graduates of these fine schools. Well that is about to change.
Now I'm not promising that all the future graduates or even a small percentage (>5%) would be able to stay here, or would even want to, but in the past unless you were doing something in medicine, the hotel & restaurant industry, or to lesser degree in sales your options were limited.
Today Greater New Orleans, Inc., a public-private partnership formed to spearhead economic development, launched a new Digital Media consortium to help jump-start that industry in the area. Here are 2 videos from the CEO of GNO,Inc. explaining what it is and how to get involved.
I'm on the mailing list for our Local Audubon Society and I just got this email. I am only going to share a part of it with you but if you are an outdoors person who enjoys Grand Isle you will like to hear this.
Posted on 12/15/2008 on www.louisiana.gov
Grand Isle: Governor Bobby Jindal announced at a press conference in Grand Isle that Elmer's Island, a once popular destination for coastal fishermen, campers and other outdoor enthusiasts is open again for public recreational use. The state is opening up 250 acres of Elmer's Island for public use after extensive title research found that this portion of the island is the property of Louisiana.
Governor Jindal was joined by Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Secretary Robert Barham as well as Governor’s Office of Coastal Activities Director and Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Chairman Garret Graves, who highlighted several coastal restoration projects both on and near Elmer’s Island that will work to restore beaches and marshes severely damaged by four hurricanes in the last three years.
"Louisiana is Sportsman’s Paradise – and Elmer's Island is certainly one of our state's jewels – and we are excited to announce that it is now open to the public,” said Governor Jindal. "The state will keep this area as a recreation spot and a wildlife sanctuary – while also allowing fishing and bird watching. Louisiana is committed to making sure the beaches and marshes of Elmer’s and surrounding areas are restored and enhanced.'
Governor Jindal declared that LDWF will manage Elmer’s Island as a Wildlife Refuge with boat access to the beach allowed immediately. Efforts will continue to negotiate a right-of-way for a road that will connect the beach to LA Highway 1 to allow vehicular access to the beach in the future.
“After exhaustive legal research, it has been determined that the Goat Island property, which is the barrier island portion of the property generally referred to as Elmer’s Island, is state land,” said LWDF Secretary Barham. “By designating it a wildlife refuge, the property will be available for fishing and outdoor activities including bird watching, shell collection and nature photography. The only permit needed for site use will be a fishing license for those who choose to do so.”
Elmer’s was a commercial campground and fishing area from 1970-2000. For a small daily fee, fishermen, campers and other outdoor enthusiasts were allowed access to the beach on a narrow road through marsh from Hwy. 1. However, that access was closed following the death of the owner of the access road.
Efforts have been made over the last five years by the state legislature and past administrations to purchase Elmer's Island to allow for public fishing and recreation with no success. The state will continue working with the various property owners in the Elmer's Island vicinity to acquire much of the area for coastal restoration efforts and recreational use.
In addition to opening up Elmer’s Island for recreational use, the Louisiana Office of Coastal Protection and Restoration is also working to restore the beach and wetlands in the area to repair significant damage caused by the four hurricanes that have impacted the area over the past three years.
Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav and Ike have all battered the beach, dunes and wetlands of the area known as the Caminada Headlands, a 12-mile stretch of beach and marsh from Grand Isle west to Fourchon.
The Louisiana Office of Coastal Protection and Restoration is dedicating $71 million over the next two years to a large-scale restoration effort for the area.
“Restoring our islands and beaches is of the utmost importance,” said Coastal Activities Director Garret Graves. “These areas serve as our first line of defense for approaching tropical storms and hurricanes and they also provide essential habitat for bird and marine life.”
A $27 million restoration project on East Grand Terre Island, located less than five miles from the eastern end of Grand Isle, is scheduled to begin in April 2009.
In all, state coastal restoration and protection officials have dedicated over $400 million to the restoration of marshes and beaches in this area of Louisiana over the next two years.
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