NEW ORLEANS – The Idea Village is hosting its third annual 3rd Coast Venture Summit on March 10–12 during New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW), bringing together Gulf South founders, investors and corporate partners.
The “3rd Coast” refers to the Gulf South, which stretches across Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. The Idea Village says the region is gaining national recognition as an investable startup market powered by experienced talent and global-caliber resources.
Jon Atkinson, CEO of The Idea Village, said the summit is designed to accelerate that regional momentum.
“The 3rd Coast is home to a burgeoning startup ecosystem where talent and world-class resources are already coming together to tackle interesting problems and build forward-thinking ventures,” Atkinson said. “The result will be increased deal flow for Gulf Coast startups and overall growth of the regional venture ecosystem.”
Since its founding in 2000, The Idea Village has served more than 20,100 entrepreneurs, facilitated nearly 97,800 hours of mentorship and supported alumni companies that have generated $1.7 billion in total exit value.
Curated Founder Cohort
Organizers said participating startups are selected through a highly curated process designed to ensure investor readiness and regional relevance.
Seed to Series A – Companies invited to the 3rd Coast Venture Summit are typically in the seed to Series A stage, rapidly scaling, demonstrating proven traction in the market and either currently raising or preparing to raise follow-on capital.
Innovation – In addition to growth metrics, organizers prioritize innovation. Participating companies are expected to serve new or niche markets in distinctive ways, incorporate technology to solve problems or improve processes, or introduce new or unproven business models with the potential to disrupt established industries.
Gulf South Ties – Geographic ties are also central to the selection criteria. Each company must demonstrate a meaningful connection to the Gulf South.
Andrew Albert, programs director at The Idea Village, said the 3rd Coast Venture Summit was launched with a long-term regional strategy in mind.
“We founded this summit in 2024 with a clear thesis: the Gulf South is uniquely positioned to lead in the opportunity industries that will determine America’s future,” Albert said. “Our belief was simple: convening the region’s most ambitious founders alongside proactive national capital is necessary to accelerate momentum across our regional innovation economy. That hypothesis proved true.”
Albert added that the Gulf South’s history of operating without the density of capital found in coastal hubs has shaped a distinct entrepreneurial approach.
“Southerners are no strangers to challenge. For decades, we have built with resilience, resourcefulness, and grit — often without the density of capital found in coastal hubs. In doing so, we developed something different: capital efficiency, pragmatic innovation, and an acute vantage point on real-world problems that demand durable solutions,” he said.
3rd Coast Venture Summit Programming
The summit will include business pitches across a range of industries, investor roundtables discussing trends and strategies, and one-on-one meetings designed to connect investors and founders.
Attendees will also have access to the 3CVS app, the summit’s official digital platform, which provides the agenda, speaker and investor profiles, and in-app networking tools designed to facilitate meetings and real-time engagement throughout the event.
Albert said the summit reflects what he views as the Gulf South’s differentiated competitive advantage and why New Orleans serves as a fitting host city.
“Southern innovators are not defined by geography. We do not compete by imitation. We lead through a differentiated perspective — through proximity to infrastructure, industry, community, and distinct cultural roots that cannot be replicated elsewhere. When we leverage the Gulf South’s regional strengths, founders win. Investors win. Communities win,” Albert said. “And there is no better place to convene this conversation than New Orleans, a longstanding hub of Southern thought leadership, creativity, and collaboration.”
