Big Easy Ideas: Recent Episodes
The Idea Village
Here is where innovation & culture meet in the South– everything from entrepreneurship, #CultureTech, #ClimateTech, investing, business, & more are what you can expect to learn from experts and thought leaders who've spoken at New Orleans Entrepreneur Week. Listen to us on your commute to work, at work, during a workout, and or while taking a scroll! Subscribe to the Big Easy Ideas podcast for your go to hub for all things entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology in Gulf Coast. All episodes were pre-recorded live at New Orleans Entrepreneur Week. New Orleans Entrepreneur Week is an annual event produced by The Idea Village.Sign up to The Big Easy Ideas newsletter: www.bigeasyideas.comSign up to receive New Orleans Entrepreneur Week 2023 updates (like when tickets go live!): www.noew.org
The Gulf South is on the front lines of climate change—facing immense challenges but also unique opportunities for innovation. This session explores how climate-tech and blue-tech startups can thrive in the region, featuring insights from investors, founders, and thought leaders shaping its future.
Moderator: Beaux Jones, The Water Institute
Panelists: Christy Swann, RCOAST; Alex Kolker, LUMCON; Donna Hazard, SeaAhead
This session explores the vital role of stormwater management in advancing New Orleans’ long-term climate resilience. Moderator Victoria Phipps (JPMorgan Chase) will guide a conversation with experts including Dr. Janell Hills (Interstate Renewable Energy Council), Diane Jones (University of Texas at Arlington), and City of New Orleans leaders Mary Kincaid and Sunae Villavaso. Emceed by Chuck Morse (Thrive New Orleans), the discussion will highlight collaborative strategies across sectors to address climate challenges and protect the city’s future.
Finance New Orleans' Housing Innovation Challenge, sponsored by Elemental Excelerator, & Ballard Spahr LLP, is designed to introduce new construction and climate technologies that will increase the supply of affordable and sustainable housing in New Orleans.
The leaders of both organizations will engage in a fireside chat to announce the challenge and discuss the long-term desired community impacts for the people of New Orleans.
This panel explores how major corporations, investors, and universities are embracing the creativity of technology startups to harness disruption and expand opportunities in a rapidly changing business environment. Through case studies and strategies, the discussion highlights how startup–corporate partnership models enable companies to stay agile in evolving markets. From strategic investments to collaborative initiatives, the panel offers actionable takeaways for navigating the intersection of big business and entrepreneurial disruption while looking ahead to the future of a changing energy landscape.
Editor’s Note:
Since the recording of this episode, panel moderator and Executive Director of Halliburton Labs, Scott Gale, passed away in September 2024.
In honor of his legacy, The Idea Village and Halliburton Labs are launching the Scott Gale Memorial Award, recognizing rising leaders who embody Scott’s vision, character, and commitment to innovation. This award will spotlight individuals driving transformative change in the energy sector and other forward-looking industries, championing groundbreaking ideas while fostering a thriving startup community across the Gulf Coast.
The open call for nominations closes October 1, 2025. The winner will be recognized at New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW) 2026 and will receive featured visibility, access to national networks, and tailored support to further their impact.
Please consider nominating a colleague, nominating yourself, or sharing this opportunity across your network. Learn more and submit a nomination here:
https://www.ideavillage.org/scott-gale-award
How can New Orleans balance economic growth with climate resilience?
In this panel discussion, industry leaders explore the intersection of sustainability, innovation, and community resilience. Courtney Nicholson (Entergy New Orleans), Michael Hecht (GNO Inc.), Kris Khalil (New Orleans BioInnovation Fund), and Rebecca Conwell (UNO Beach) share insights on how businesses, policymakers, and local initiatives are shaping a more sustainable and prosperous future for the region.
Tune in for a conversation on the challenges, opportunities, and groundbreaking solutions driving New Orleans’ next chapter.
Louisiana and the Gulf Coast are at the forefront of a historic effort to decarbonize the industrial sector and lead the world in new technology and private partnerships that will help reach the net zero global climate goals by 2050.
Join this opening fireside chat to talk about the current landscape and opportunities ahead.
This episode showcases the IDEAfuel panel, exploring the barriers BIPOC entrepreneurs face and how The Idea Village’s IDEAfuel program is making strides to overcome them. Supported by the Regions Foundation and other generous donors, IDEAfuel provides non-dilutive capital, mentorship, and unique growth opportunities. The panelists unpack the program’s impact and how it’s shaping a more inclusive ecosystem in Louisiana and beyond.
This episode features Edrizio De La Cruz’s story, titled "From the Barrio to Silicon Valley."
Known for his grit and vision, Edrizio takes us on his path from the Dominican Republic to launching Arcus, where he overcame countless challenges and carved his path in tech. It's a powerful look at what it means to be a true 'underdog founder'.
Explore how New Orleans is activating its Climate Plan through the Resilient New Orleans Finance Framework. This panel of public sector leaders dives into key project targets, private sector opportunities, and the long-term vision for a more resilient city.
Speakers:
🔹 Moderator: Holly Horsley, Ballard Spahr
🔹 Damon Burns, Finance NOLA
🔹 Jeff Schwartz, City of NOLA Economic Development
🔹 Greg Nichols, City of NOLA Resilience
Supply chain emissions account for an estimated 5.5 times an organization's direct emissions, making them a critical focus for sustainability efforts. To effectively reduce carbon footprints, organizations must first measure and understand their emissions.
Join Tamra Olin, co-founder and Head of Partnerships at Green Project Tech, and Liz Maxwell, Sr. Director of Strategic Initiatives at The Idea Village, as they explore the complexities of carbon accounting.
They’ll discuss key types of emissions, best practices for tracking and reducing supply chain emissions, and the pivotal role that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play in global sustainability efforts.
Tune in to learn more about how businesses of all sizes can take meaningful steps toward a lower-carbon future.
This special episode recaps the Statewide Innovation Strategy event, held at The Nieux in New Orleans on October 2, 2024, where industry leaders and policymakers discussed the future of Louisiana’s startup ecosystem and how a statewide innovation strategy could drive the state's economy forward.
Speakers included Josh Fleig (Louisiana Economic Development), Dino Paternostro (SBIRC), Aimee Quirk (Ochsner Ventures), Hailey Bathurst (SeaAhead), and Representative Matt Willard (Louisiana House of Representatives), who shared insights on government support for innovation, the role of startups in economic growth, and strategies for talent retention.
Tune in for key takeaways on how Louisiana can foster a thriving innovation community and position itself as a leader in emerging industries.
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In the coming decades, resilient Gulf Coast communities will learn to adapt to a radically transformed water-inundated intercostal zone to preserve their rich cultural heritage and way of life. Marine-based floating infrastructure and related ‘Blue’ technologies will replace current infrastructure, services, and residential construction forms. You'll hear from Greg Delaune of the Deep Blue Institute and Elliot Metzger, founder of Talisea.
Listen to discover how New Orleans can become a global Blue Technology Innovation Ecosystem hub, driving exponential development, deployment, and scaling of the climate technologies that will define this future marine-based Blue Economy.
Big Easy Ideas' final episode of #BioTech is here! And we want to take a moment to thank our partners, Tulane University Innovation Institute, for presenting this season, highlighting the latest advancements and entrepreneurial journeys in BioTech, and showcasing how local innovation can drive global impact.
This final episode features a session on the BioTech revolution and entrepreneurship, recorded during NOEW 2021. You will hear Walter Isaacson, renowned author of Steve Jobs & Elon Musk; Leonard Lauder, American philanthropist; and Dr. Eldora L. Ellison, expert in intellectual property law known for defending patents for groundbreaking technologies like CRISPR gene editing.
Tune in for a compelling discussion on monetizing inventions, protecting intellectual property, and more.
How do investment firms decide who to give their funds to? What is unique about BioTech and healthcare investing, and what does a BioTech startup need to know to raise money? This panel features investment experts who will answer these questions and more, from places like New Orleans and other innovation hubs beyond the East and West Coasts.
This season is brought to you by our partners at the Tulane University Innovation Institute!
The Tulane University Innovation Institute is committed to helping students, faculty, and community innovators develop their ideas, launch startups, and attract the resources to fuel innovation in the Gulf South and strengthen the area's economy. From educational webinars and mentorship, to pitch competitions and funding opportunities, the Tulane Innovation Institute supports entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey.
And they are not just about local impact. They are dedicated to advancing discoveries in the local bio-innovation community, making a broader impact globally by supporting researchers and inventors in navigating the process of developing ideas and bringing new products to market. For more information, please visit the Tulane Innovation Institute’s website at innovation.tulane.edu.
Speakers:
- James Barlia, Vice President, Revolution
- Paul Eisenberg, Venture Partner, Apple Tree Partners
- Aimee Quirk, CEO, Ochsner Ventures
In order for technologies to make it from the bench to the bedside, they often need to be developed in a university startup. In this panel, we will hear from four scientific innovators who made the leap into the startup world to bring their discoveries from the lab to the market, learn about their journey, and tips to avoid failure before your innovation gets out into the world.
This season is brought to you by our partners at the Tulane University Innovation Institute!
The Tulane University Innovation Institute is committed to helping students, faculty, and community innovators develop their ideas, launch startups, and attract the resources to fuel innovation in the Gulf South and strengthen the area's economy. From educational webinars and mentorship, to pitch competitions and funding opportunities, the Tulane Innovation Institute supports entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey.
And they are not just about local impact. They are dedicated to advancing discoveries in the local bio-innovation community, making a broader impact globally by supporting researchers and inventors in navigating the process of developing ideas and bringing new products to market. For more information, please visit the Tulane Innovation Institute’s website at innovation.tulane.edu.
Speakers:
- Kornelius Bankston, Managing Partner, TECHPLUG
- Lowry Curley, Co-founder & Chief Scientific Officer, AxoSim
- Sunyoung Kim, Chief Executive Officer, Chosen Diagnostics
- Nicholas Pashos, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, BioAesthetics
- Chad J. Roy, Associate Dean for Research & Professor, Tulane University School of Medicine
Translational research seeks to bring advances made in the laboratory to patients. This panel looks at not only the "how and why" of scientific discovery, but also "how and who" of product development. Professionals, doctors, and researchers whose scientific discoveries exist on this exciting border between the laboratory and the patient bedside are sure to help you understand the current state of the field and how they drive impact in our world.
This season is brought to you by our partners at the Tulane University Innovation Institute!
The Tulane University Innovation Institute is committed to helping students, faculty, and community innovators develop their ideas, launch startups, and attract the resources to fuel innovation in the Gulf South and strengthen the area's economy. From educational webinars and mentorship, to pitch competitions and funding opportunities, the Tulane Innovation Institute supports entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey.
And they are not just about local impact. They are dedicated to advancing discoveries in the local bio-innovation community, making a broader impact globally by supporting researchers and inventors in navigating the process of developing ideas and bringing new products to market. For more information, please visit the Tulane Innovation Institute’s website at innovation.tulane.edu.
Speakers:
- Dr. Heddwen Brooks, Professor & Chair, Tulane School of Medicine
- Dr. Caroline Copeland, Postdoctoral Scholar, Stanford University
- Dr. Monica Embers, Associate Professor, Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane National Primate Center
- Paolo Goes, Dean, Tulane University - A.B. Freeman School of Business
- Dr. Kalen Hall, Chief Executive Officer, Informuta
- Dr. Nassir Marrouche, Director, Tulane University Heart and Vascular Institute
Welcome to Season 8 of Big Easy Ideas, presented by the Tulane University Innovation Institute! This season focuses on the newest developments in the BioTech sector. In the first episode of this season, you’ll hear a keynote address from Dr. David Weiner, an author & researcher with extensive experience as a Chief Medical Officer as well as a CEO of therapeutics companies. He gives us an overview of the BioTech landscape in the country at large and what this prognosis means for the industry here in New Orleans, all through the lens of his personal history in the sector.
This season is brought to you by our partners at the Tulane University Innovation Institute!
The Tulane University Innovation Institute is committed to helping students, faculty, and community innovators develop their ideas, launch startups, and attract the resources to fuel innovation in the Gulf South and strengthen the area's economy. From educational webinars and mentorship to pitch competitions and funding opportunities, the Tulane Innovation Institute supports entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey.
And they are not just about local impact. They are dedicated to advancing discoveries in the local bio-innovation community, making a broader impact globally by supporting researchers and inventors in navigating the process of developing ideas and bringing new products to market. For more information, please visit the Tulane Innovation Institute’s website at innovation.tulane.edu.
Speaker:
- Dr. Dave Weiner, Author & Researcher
NFTs and other market developments are allowing artists to connect with their fans and customers in new ways. In this conversation moderated by Angelique Roché of Marvel Entertainment, you’ll hear from Erin Frankenheimer of Amazing Radio; visual artist and jazz fest poster designer Terrance Osborne; and Lindsey Roussel of Nieux Society and Sidewalk Side Studio.
Speakers:
- Terrance Osborne, Terrance Osborne Gallery
- Erin Frankenheimer, Amazing Radio
- Lindsey Roussel, Nieux Society
- Angélique Roché, Marvel Entertainment
Technology is creating opportunities to bring new levels of immersion to live performance and events. Join Otura Mun of ÌFÉ, who married traditional Cuban hand drumming with modern sampling technology; Everett Woods, co-founder of spatial computing company Rypplzz; and moderator Lou Hill, to hear how they're expanding the live experience.
Speakers:
- Otura Mun, ÌFÉ
- Everett Woods, Rypplzz
- Lou Hill, Water Seed
Episode 3 consists of a panel on how technology is shaping the music industry, as well as music’s place in the film and gaming industries. The panel is moderated by Alana Harris from the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Economy, and features: Pell, rapper and co-founder of the GLBL WRMNG collective; Jonathan McHugh, veteran music supervisor and chair in Music Industry Studies at Loyola University; Christopher Douglas of Xbox Game Studios’ Game Camp; and Kimberly Thomas, Innovation CEO for IGL Foundation.
Speakers:
- Alana Harris, Mayor’s Office of Cultural Economy
- Pell, GLBL WRMNG Collective
- Jonathan McHugh, Loyola University New Orleans
- Christopher Douglas, Xbox
- Kimberly Thomas, IGL Foundation.
This conversation from NOEW 2023 delves into some of the ways that new studio technology is changing the practice of making records, including that looming and often-misunderstood behemoth in the room: AI. Join Lovell “U-P” Cooper, music producer and Professor of the Practice of Hip-Hop and R&B at Loyola University; Albert Allenback of SaxKixAve and Tank and the Bangas; and moderator Lou Hill of Water Seed, as they share their insights.
Speakers:
- Albert Allenback, SaxKixAve / Tank and the Bangas
- Lovell "U-P" Cooper, Loyola University New Orleans
- Lou Hill, Water Seed
The music industry is always being shaped by technological advancements in recording, distribution, and promotion. In Season 7 of Big Easy Ideas, we'll be looking at some recent developments in music tech through the eyes of local creatives. Join Nate Cameron, co-founder of the GLBL WRMNG collective; local rising pop artist LeTrainiump; and moderator Jasmine Brown DeRousselle of GNO Inc., as they dig into these topics.
Speakers:
- Nate Cameron, GLBL WRMNG
- Jasmine Brown DeRousselle, GNO Inc.
- LeTrainiump Richard, LeTrainiump
What's the key to large corporations creating and fostering a culture of innovation internally? Tune in to this fascinating discussion, which touches on but is not limited to health tech, to find out. You will hear entrepreneur and executive Leslie Bradshaw moderating a panel with Michael Cross of Entergy’s Keystring Labs; John Landrum of Intralox; and Charlotte Piper of Ochsner Health.
Speaker:
- Michael Cross, Entergy Keystring Labs
- John Landrum, Intralox
- Charlotte Piper, Ochsner Health
- Leslie Bradshaw, Mach49
This season is brought to you by our partners, Ochsner Health!
Conventional wisdom tends to undersell how much startups and legacy companies stand to learn from each other. In this episode (recorded during New Orleans Entrepreneur Week 2021) you’ll hear from Christina Wallace, serial entrepreneur and Senior Lecturer of Entrepreneurial Management at Harvard Business School, on mutual benefit and cooperation between startups and large corporations. She lays out several examples of successful corporate/startup cooperation, and gives some key advice to players on both sides.
Speaker:
- Christina Wallace, Serial entrepreneur and Senior Lecturer of Entrepreneurial Management at Harvard Business School
This season is brought to you by our partners, Ochsner Health!
Before it was making national headlines, these local, female founders saw the opportunity to leverage technology to transform health and healthcare for the better. In this episode, you’ll hear from three women founders of New Orleans-based health tech startups, about their experiences growing their companies, the particular strengths that women bring to the field, and the gender disparities in attracting venture capital funding. Join Trivia Frazier of Obatala Sciences; Molly Hegarty of Junum; and Heidi Raines of Performance Health Partners, for an engaging discussion moderated by Tara Hernandez of JCH Properties+.
Speakers:
- Tara Hernandez, JCH Properties+
- Trivia Frazier, Obatala Sciences
- Molly Hegarty, Junum
- Heidi Raines, Performance Health Partners
This season is brought to you by our partners, Ochsner Health!
New Orleans is poised to become a health tech hub -- what will it take to make this a reality? Tune into this panel, facilitated by Aimee Quirk of Ochsner Health and Ochsner Ventures, as they try to answer this question. Aimee is joined by Sarah Deshpande of Silicon Valley venture capital firm Maven Ventures, and Keith Figlioli of Boston-based venture capital firm LRVHealth. In their wide-ranging discussion, they give valuable advice to entrepreneurs considering founding a health tech startup; encourage founders to develop a vision worth fighting for; and articulate the various ways that New Orleans is poised to become a significant economic hub in health tech.
Speakers:
- Aimee Quirk, Ochsner Ventures
- Sarah Deshpande, Maven Ventures
- Keith Figliolio, LRV Health
The health care sector continues to undergo massive changes as digitization & tech work their way through one of the country's largest industries. As the landscape shifts, opportunities for innovation & investment are abundant. Join Keith Figlioli of Boston-based venture capital firm LRVHealth as he lays out the macroeconomic state of healthcare and health tech, and makes the case for why now is a great time for entrepreneurs to get involved with what he calls “Wave Two” of health tech innovation.
Speaker:
- Keith Figlioli, LRV Health
Wwe're thrilled to bring you this episode to hear discussions with three exceptional entrepreneurs who have achieved remarkable building their companies in the Gulf South.
You will hear from Alex Reed and Jay Manouchehri, the bright minds behind Fluence Analytics. Some spectacular news to share with you about Fluence Analytics is that since recording this episode at NOEW 2023, this company has successfully exited! You will also hear from Craig Gehring, the visionary founder of Mastery Prep. His dedication to revolutionizing education has transformed the learning landscape and empowered countless students to reach their full potential. Moderating this discussion is Stephanie Reigel, business writer at Nola.com!
Speakers:
- Alex Reed, Fluence Analytics
- Jay Manouchehri, Fluence Analytics
- Craig Gehring, Mastery Prep
- Stephanie Reigel - Moderator
In this episode, you’ll hear a compelling conversation led by Kim Boyle, featuring tech founders and talent builders from New Orleans. Esteemed speakers, including Burton White from Excella, Gerard Ramos from Revelry, Tony Zanders from Skilltype, and John Fraboni from Operation Spark, delve into their experiences and insights, shedding light on the inherent strengths that contribute to building successful businesses in New Orleans and throughout the state. The conversations in this episode encompasses key topics such as Louisiana's business-friendly tax credits, the growing talent network, and more. A significant portion of the discussion revolves around the crucial importance of nurturing local tech talent particularly among younger generations, and what’s needed to scale the future of NOLA’s tech ecosystem.
Speakers:
Burton White, Excella
Gerard Ramos, Revelry
Tony Zanders, Skilltype
John Fraboni, Operation Spark
Kim Boyle, Phelps Dunbar - Moderator
SaaS Without Borders is an exploration of the legal and operational considerations that arise when providing Software as a Service (SaaS) on a national and global scale.
Speakers:
- Stephen Morel, JurisDeed
- Sam Bruner, Spot2Nite
- Lara Sevener - Jones Walker
Throughout this episode, you will hear about how two founders jumped into entrepreneurship and have since been building successful SaaS companies focused on data and market research in New Orleans. A few months after this conversation took place on the New Orleans Entrepreneur Week 2023 stage, one of the speakers acquired the other speaker's company! Both founders agreed that there was clear synergy between the two companies.
Speakers:
- Louis David, New Orleans Business Alliance
- Vignesh Krishnan, Research Defender
- Patrick Stokes, Rep Data
Different companies interpret customer centricity in different ways, but at the heart of this business strategy is a deep understanding of the customer and a commitment to creating customer value at every touchpoint in the customer journey. Listen to our panelists from companies of different sizes, stages and industries share how they build long-term relationships with customers by providing exceptional service and delivering on promises.
Speakers:
- Michael Cross, Entergy
- Heidi Raynes, Performance Health
- Justin Wohlstadter, Waldo
- David Dart, EIR | The Idea Village - Moderator
Meet two founders who have broken the mold and created industry leading companies in unique marketplaces. Join Walter Isaacson (Tulane) as he interviews Ryan Williams (Cadre) who is revolutionizing commercial real estate investing, and Scott Wolfe (Founder of Levelset) who created the number one construction payment platform, based here in New Orleans.
Hear firsthand accounts from innovators who have created Third Wave Industries by finding opportunities in and disrupting well-established markets. Learn about the challenges of creating secondary marketplaces, along with how to establish moats, build go-to-market and customer acquisition strategies, and scale SaaS.
Speakers:
- Ryan Williams, Cadre
- Walter Isaacson, Tulane University
- Scott Wolfe, Procore
Commander’s Palace Co-Proprietor Ti Adelaide Martin joins Christine Albert of the non-profit LCMC Health for a panel that will speak to the power of hospitality in New Orleans and how this approach can be applied across industries for meaningful impact.
Speakers:
Christine Albert, LCMC Health
Ti Martin, Commander's Palace
On this episode of the EATrepreneurs season, four founders share insights about the opportunities to harness technology for the growth of their food and/or hospitality businesses. These speakers delve deep into how the use of technology can create a safe and advantageous environment for business and how technology is helping their businesses prepare for the future. Additionally, the speakers discuss the wide variety of tools they employ, including data management, analytic platforms, and special operations, to scale their businesses.
Speakers:
Elizabeth Tilton, OS Benefits
Andrew Peterson, BlueFin Data
Josh Johnston, TrayAway
Dan Meth, Ingest
In this episode, a panel of founders will discuss the unique challenges and opportunities of scaling consumer packaged goods (CPG) businesses in the southern United States. They will share insights and strategies from their own experiences and share their perspectives on the realities of building and growing a CPG brand in the New Orleans, as well as practical advice for navigating the region's market dynamics and business landscape.
Speakers:
Aaron Gailmor, Brass Roots
Rich Simmerman, Ceres
Jon Renthrope, Cajun Fire Brewing
Christa Cotton, El Guapo Bitters -- Moderator
Get inspired and learn from Greg Tillery, CEO of We Dat's Chicken and Shrimp, entrepreneurial journey with his resturant. His story is an inspiring tale of ambition, resilience, and business success. On this episdoe, Greg delves into the challenges he faced, the strategies he employed, and the lessons he learned along the way to build a successful food business. Whether you're a food enthusiast, aspiring entrepreneur, or simply seeking inspiration, this episode promises to be a captivating exploration of the path to scaling a restaurant.
Speakers:
Greg Tillery, Founder and CEO of We Dat's Chicken and Shrimp
Kenny Welcome, Former Vice President at J.P. Morgan Private Bank
The hospitality industry has undergone massive changes in the past few years and has had to shift and innovate as the world became uncertain. Join us for a dynamic panel discussion with some of New Orleans' top restauranteurs as they share their insights on the future of hospitality in a post-pandemic world. Our panelists will share their experiences of navigating the challenges of the pandemic and their visions and plans for the future inside a “new normal.”
Speakers:
- Ti Martin, Commanders Palace
- Edgar ""Dook"" Chase IV , Chase Hospitality Group
- Robert LeBlanc, LeBLANC+SMITH
WThis special episode puts the spotlight on one of our nation’s leading entrepreneurs and investors: Steve Case….one of America’s most accomplished entrepreneurs and philanthropists, and a pioneer in making the Internet part of everyday life.
Joined by Walter Isaacson - former editor of Time Magazine, CEO and Chairman of CNN, and CEO of the Aspen Institute - you'll hear Steve discuss the core pillars for building a thriving and robust startup ecosystem, the investment opportunities for founders and investors to consider in the next wave of industries, and more.
This episode is brought to you in part by the partnership forged between The New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University and New Orleans Entrepreneur Week 2023.
Speaker:Walter Isaacson, Author
Steve Case, Founder of AOL
On this episode, you'll hear a conversation between Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, Walter Isaacson - renowned author and thought leader- , and Steve Case - AOL co-founder and startup investor - discuss how Louisiana is embracing the climate tech transition, share insights on how entrepreneurship can foster innovation in climate and related industries like health and biotech, and highlight the various ways Louisiana supports startups in these sectors.
This conversation illuminates how the state is continuously striving to drive Louisiana's path towards climate leadership on the national and global stage, and the work that has to be done to get there.
This episode is brought to you in part by the partnership forged between The New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University and New Orleans Entrepreneur Week 2023.
Speakers:
Walter Isaacson, Author
John Bel Edwards, former Louisiana Governor
In the last decade, there has been tremendous investment and focus on software tools, electrification, and clean energy technology. The UN’s recent climate summit, COP26, highlighted natural systems as a major component of the response to climate change, on par with anthropogenic solutions such as wind, solar, and CCUS. The gulf coast is rich in the natural resources, skills, and experience to tackle blue carbon and nature based solutions to climate change. This session highlights how large enterprises can partner with startups in complementary ways to accelerate the pace of climate innovation, with a focus on natural solutions.
In this session, the panel will share stories and explore electric vehicle transportation – what’s working, where are the gaps, and identifying where the industry is headed. Join us for some quick insights into the burgeoning electric vehicle industry and the unique challenges presented as society moves toward embracing this technology.
Complex real world problems require even more innovative solutions. Once the glacially paced cousin of software-based tech, "hard tech" has emerged as the forefront of innovation driving solutions to some of society's most pressing challenges including climate change. Local hard tech founders share their journey as startups tackling huge problems. As the ambition of hard tech startups grows, what is needed to continue to fuel this industry, and what new tools are needed to promote disruption in industries so long resistant to change?
What would it take for Louisiana to lead in climate innovation through technology? Nish Acharya is a national thought leader focused on creating place-based innovation clusters. A senior policy official for the Obama administration, Nish helped create the Regional Innovation Strategies framework that has guided federal investment in innovation for the last decade. A contributor to Forbes and advisor to the Clinton Foundation, Nish is a leader in democratizing innovation by helping communities identify and build upon their regional strengths. Justin Ehrenworth is the CEO of the Water Institute, a non-profit and applied research institution that advances science and develops integrated methods to solve complex environmental and societal challenges. One of two such centers of excellence in the world, The Water Institute has helped to build a resilience industry in southeast Louisiana by helping us understand and commercialize how to live with water and the effects of climate change. Together, Nish and Justin explore what "climate tech" is, how to turn our existing competencies into a comprehensive industry cluster strategy, and why this emerging industry represents a unique opportunity for Louisiana and the gulf coast region.
Investment in climate tech startups doubled from 2020 to 2021. With over $40B deployed across 600 deals in 2021 alone, climate tech investing is one of the hottest growth areas within venture investing. What is driving this trend and where is the opportunity frontier for climate tech going? Chante Harris is a leading pressed and seed-stage investor, go-to-market expert, and supporter of early stage climate tech startups. Hank Torbert is an experienced executive, operator, and private equity investor specializing in industrial tech. John Elstrott is a co-founder of Resource Environmental Solutions, a global ecological restoration leader. He recently co-founded an ecological venture design studio, Applied Ecological Institute, and a VC fund: EcoExChange. The design studio has launched its first two ventures: Climate Foods and StratifyX. Together, the three panelists will discuss how investors look at opportunities in climate tech and the unique outlook that founders must have to build in the "hard tech" space.
What can startups and investors learn from CleanTech 1.0? What does the future of ClimateTech investing look like? How do incumbent sectors better manage disruptive forces and embrace change? Paul Holland is a successful veteran of Silicon Valley and serves as Managing Director and VC-in-Residence at Mach49, where he leads the company’s Corporate Venture Investing Practice. Paul has been a GP at Foundation Capital for 18 years, helping take startup companies from zero to IPO or acquisition. He had a stellar operating career, joining Reed Hastings at Pure Software and later Mark Gainey at Kana Communications. In total, Paul helped generate over $13B in market cap during his operating career. Linda Yates is the Founder and CEO of Mach49, the leading growth incubator for global businesses. She is a seasoned CEO with over 25 years of experience creating global strategy and driving innovation for large multinationals around the world. She is currently working on her book, “The Unicorn Within: How Companies Can Create Game-Changing Ventures at Startup Speed,” to be published by Harvard Press in summer 2022. Dale Winger is the managing director of Halliburton Labs which offers participant companies a twelve-month ‘scalerator’ experience. Prior to this role, he served as vice president for Halliburton’s global specialty chemicals business and has been with Halliburton since 2014. Together with Walter Isaacson, a world renowned author and business leader, this keynote panel will explore the challenges ahead for corporations and startups alike as they drive towards a sustainable energy future.
Learn how these entrepreneurs have used technology to solve unique problems in the sound recording ecosystem, while building future forward companies!
With the rapid adoption of Web3, media and digital strategy for corporations and cultural institutions have undergone a considerable transformation in recent years. In this fireside chat, Chris Cummings, the CEO and Founder of Iconic Moments, will discuss how he's building a marketplace for museums and cultural institutions to "mint" their unique assets as NFTs. In conversation with Chris will be The Walt Disney Company's Vice President of Product Management, Doug Vance. These two will discuss the unfolding frontier of the NFT space and some ways in which this digital innovation will be used in the future.
The opportunities for creatives to benefit from the world of #WEB3 are endless. Learn about how creative talent in New Orleans can benefit from the immense possibilities within Web3 and how creatives can be onboard into this new space for experienced local artists and entrepreneurs participating in Web3.
Alongside the explosion of interest in digital ownership through NFTs, Web3 has brought an age-old phenomenon to the forefront of the technological frontier: community. Through anything from jpeg images of Bored Apes to Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (or "DAO's") aiming to buy a copy of the Constitution, Web3 has presented new ways for people to coordinate digitally, along with new objects and objectives around which to gather. Through this panel, we'll highlight three unique projects being built locally in Web3 spaces that give individuals the opportunity to build community around music, gaming, and civic leadership.
Gil Hildebrand, CEO and founder of Gilded Finance, gives you an introduction to the world of Web3. Gilded has an extensive background in Web3, specifically cryptocurrency. You'll also hear about how his company, Gilded Finance, allows businesses to accept crypto payments, pay members in crypto, and deliver on financial reporting requirements with ease.
Learn about how online market research was spearheaded with the help of Lucid and Cint, a global software leader in technology and digital insights. The companies combined in December 2021 and have since contributed largely to the birth of “ResTech,” a new industry centered around the potential of tapping into consumer insights at scale. The conversations on this episode are focused around two surfacing #ResTech companies, both of whom present opportunities to improve the quality of market research going forward and provide insights to this emerging industry in New Orleans.
On this episode of #BigEasyIdeas, Bobby Savoie, founder of Geocent, one of nine New Orleans startup companies that were acquired and achieved the critical "exit" milestone in 2021, shares his advice about how to build a scalable company. Bobby draws on his experience and journey building Geocent, a dynamic company whose technology powers key systems for NASA and other similar organizations, from the ground up. He also discusses what the company's acquisition means for the next phase of local ecosystem development and more!
Presented at NOEW 2022 by Ochsner Ventures, the team at Ochsner Ventures hosted a panel of local entrepreneurs and funders on how to create successful enterprise and startup partnerships, lessons learned, and how investing locally is a win-win for all. Enterprise funders that invest capital on behalf of large community institutions and companies have a unique offering for entrepreneurs as they can go beyond funding to offer additional value and a true commitment to impact the local community. From both the perspective of founders and the enterprise leaders that support them, the panel will explore what works well, how to put together successful partnerships, and how fostering these types of relationships creates meaningful value for companies and communities.
Local founders who have recently completed $1 million or more financing rounds discuss what it means to build a company for exponential growth in Louisiana. What changes as you grow, how do you surround yourself with the right resources and community, and what are the pitfalls on the road ahead? Collectively, how do we design the system to make $1M+ funding events the rule rather than the exception? Moderated by Corey Tisdale, founder of highly successful Baton Rouge-based ecommerce startup BBQGuys, this panel uses the startup successes of the last year as a base to explore everyone's favorite question: "who's next?"
The United States’ large and persistent racial wealth gap flows from centuries of government policies that have systematically disadvantaged BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) Americans’ ability to build, maintain, and pass on wealth to the next generation. Anchor institutions can be important levers of change and drivers of equitable and inclusive economic growth through their spending, investment, employment, and contracting by creating opportunities for local BIPOC business owners and residents. Local government and economic development organizations are engaging anchors as critical partners in advancing more inclusive economies by creating opportunities for all residents, and particularly communities of color, to fully participate and be the business owners, workers, innovators, and leaders who will propel the economy forward. We bring together this panel of institutional leaders who have successfully shifted internal institutional and small business procurement policies and practices to even the playing field for BIPOC business owners in New Orleans.
On this episode of Big Easy Ideas, investors share about their early investment(s) in the NOLA tech companies that realized significant liquidity events in 2021, and tell the story from the "other side of the table" -- giving the investor point of view on what they saw early on in these companies, their vision, the founders behind them, and their teams.
In sharing the journey from their perspective on the investor side, speakers offer insight as to what lessons should be learned by the next generation of energetic NOLA entrepreneurs. And discuss what are the things that make NOLA a fertile ground to continue growing companies with the potential to realize similar success of Lucid/Cint, Levelset/Procore, Turbosquid/Shutterstock, and other homegrown superstars.
This episode was originally presented at NOEW 2022 by Jones Walker as "The Holy Trinity - How Home Cookin' Produced Successful Exits for Three Organically Grown New Orleans Tech Companies in 2021."
New Orleans startups continue to innovate with an increasing number of high growth potential companies being started every year.The Idea Village's later staged accelerator programs have supported over 298 early stage companies to date that have cumulatively raised over $500M in outside capital and are currently generating over $530M in recurring revenue in the last fiscal year. Meet members of the 2022 VILLAGEx accelerator class who share their journey of building the next big thing. Moderated by Peter Liu of Revelry Ventures, this panel will dive into what makes a vibrant startup community in New Orleans and how we can continue to drive and create ever more successful companies.
Finance New Orleans presents the Resilient New Orleans Finance Plan and Resilient New Orleans Innovation Fund that will spur entrepreneurial growth by providing pre-development capital to startups and developers for sustainable and eco-friendly projects.
Louisiana has struggled to keep pace with the modern economy. While the state is blessed with an abundance of natural resources and creative people, its adherence to tradition has held it back from growth in new sectors of the economy, especially cutting edge technology. But due to the nature of new innovation in technology, Louisiana now has an opportunity to seize the opportunity and become a tech leader in key sectors. Eric Peterson, Director of the Pelican Center for Technology and Innovation, will highlight some areas where Louisiana is well positioned to excel.
The first turn of the flywheel takes the most effort. When Lucid exited to Cint in late 2021 for $1.1 billion, it became New Orleans’ first ‘unicorn’ startup – but founder Patrick Comer is determined that it won’t be the last. The New Orleans startup community is starting to gain momentum, however, Comer argues that the hardest part of entrepreneurship isn’t the business idea, or raising capital, or attracting talent. It is convincing yourself that you CAN do this -- that you have the capacity, the skills, and the worthiness to achieve great things. And that belief isn’t just with the founder, it is within the team and across the community around them. That’s what we’ve been working to build, change, and foster in NOLA for 20 years. How do we sustain it for the next 20 and what could that mean for the future of an exceptional place like New Orleans?
Welcome to the Big Easy Ideas podcast, recorded live at New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW), Big Easy Ideas is a thought leadership podcast focused on startups, innovation, entrepreneurship, technology, and culture. You’ll hear from a diverse range of successful business leaders, startup founders, investors, culture bearers….and more!
Big Easy Ideas features a host of industry-specific expertise – from entrepreneurship, to climate tech, to Web3, and more - to inspire founders at all stages across New Orleans, the Gulf Coast, and beyond.
Join us at the intersection of innovation & culture.
The first turn of the flywheel takes the most effort. When Lucid exited to Cint in late 2021 for $1.1 billion, it became New Orleans’ first ‘unicorn’ startup – but founder Patrick Comer is determined that it won’t be the last. The New Orleans startup community is starting to gain momentum, however, Comer argues that the hardest part of entrepreneurship isn’t the business idea, or raising capital, or attracting talent. It is convincing yourself that you CAN do this -- that you have the capacity, the skills, and the worthiness to achieve great things. And that belief isn’t just with the founder, it is within the team and across the community around them. That’s what we’ve been working to build, change, and foster in NOLA for 20 years. How do we sustain it for the next 20 and what could that mean for the future of an exceptional place like New Orleans?