NEW ORLEANS – The Idea Village unveiled plans for New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW), presented by IBERIABANK.
Going into its 8th year, NOEW is the dynamic eight-day business festival that engages New Orleans’ entrepreneurial community in discussion, debate, education, competition and celebration designed to support new ideas and elevate entrepreneurial thinking on Fulton Street in downtown New Orleans from March 11-18, 2016.
NOEW 2016 will feature 106 unique events and is produced by The Idea Village.
Mayor Mitch Landrieu said, "New Orleans Entrepreneur Week is a signature local event that has become a critical piece of our city’s annual cultural calendar, right alongside Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest and the Saints.”
“We have crafted New Orleans Entrepreneur Week to be locally significant and globally relevant,” said Tim Williamson, co-founder and CEO of The Idea Village. “NOEW is important to our community because it builds New Orleans’ brand as a leading entrepreneurial ecosystem, attracts talent, educates the community, and provides an opportunity to engage everyone in the entrepreneurial movement.”
The Idea Village is offering free access to NOEW 2016 for the first 15,000 people who register online, thanks to support from the Kauffman Foundation and the IV 100. Individuals who pre-register will receive timely updates on the schedule, invitations to special events, and exclusive access to exciting offers from NOEW partners.
The 2016 headliners confirmed to date include: Rich Caccappolo, COO, DailyMail; Steve Case: Co-founder, AOL and Chairman, Revolution; Jim Coulter, Founding Partner, TPG; Jonathan Greenblatt, Founder of Ethos Water and CEO of the Anti Defamation League; Walter Isaacson, President and CEO, The Aspen Institute; and Prakash Janakiraman, Co-founder and Chief Architect, Nextdoor.
“The entrepreneurial mindset is critical for the business leadership in New Orleans,” said David Darragh, President and CEO of Reily Foods Company and Chairman of The Idea Village Board of Directors. “I am excited to announce CEO Disrupt at NOEW with AOL Co-founder Steve Case. CEO Disrupt is a program specifically for CEOs of the leading businesses in New Orleans to discuss strategies to be positioned for the future.”
Darragh also announced the following partnerships with key leaders:
• Mayor Mitch Landrieu & The City of New Orleans: The City is hosting a Civic Innovation Summit at NOEW, in partnership with Propeller and Civic Consulting USA, to accelerate the momentum of civic innovation in New Orleans in anticipation of the City’s 300th anniversary in 2018.
• Stephen Perry & the New Orleans Conventions and Visitors Bureau (CVB): The CVB is leveraging NOEW to invite key outside influencers to New Orleans so they can experience the city’s incredible renaissance first-hand.
• Michael Hecht & GNO, Inc.: GNO, Inc. will host an IDEAtour during NOEW to recruit high-growth companies to Greater New Orleans.
• Chairman Chris Masingill & the Delta Regional Authority (DRA): The DRA is leveraging the NOEW platform to convene their growing Delta Entrepreneurship Network. This year, they will host 15 entrepreneurs support organizations and 22 ventures from across the 8-state delta region in New Orleans during NOEW.
“NOEW is for New Orleans, by New Orleans, but it’s about thinking bigger than New Orleans,” said Victoria Adams Phipps, Executive Producer of New Orleans Entrepreneur Week. “This year’s calendar features 106 unique events, from entrepreneur showcases, to engaging panels and workshops, to industry specific summits and networking happy hours.”
Other notable elements of NOEW 2016 include:
• An expanded campus on Fulton Street, featuring the Startup Alley, powered by Hollywood Trucks, The LookFar Tent in the Manning’s Courtyard, The AOS Lounge at The Chicory, The FMC Coffee Café, and the CVB VIP Lounge. The Idea Village has partnered with local entrepreneur Gary Solomon Jr. of the Solomon Group to develop this year’s layout.
• 149 entrepreneurs showcased in events that will award prizes collectively valued at over $500,000 in cash and in-resources. The full slate of companies to be showcased during NOEW 2016 will be announced on February 16th.
• 25 national investors attending, including representatives from Accel Partners, Calvert, Fulcrum Equity Partners, GenCap, General Atlantic, Kleiner Perkins, Laconia Ventures, Maven Ventures, Revolution, TPG Capital, and Village Capital.
• 57 workshops, panel discussions, and networking events focused on topics that are locally significant and globally relevant.
• 12 Summits focused on innovation in locally significant industries and sectors, including the Women in Business, Latin Business, Food, Water Management, Healthcare, Energy, and Civic Innovation.
• 26 nonprofit ecosystem partners hosting events: 4.0 Schools; American Association of Indian Professionals; Civic Consulting USA; Downtown Development District of New Orleans; GNO, Inc.; JEDCO; Junior League of New Orleans; Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans; Loyola University; New Orleans Business Alliance; New Orleans Chamber; New Orleans Food & Farm Network; NO/LA Angel Network; NOLA Tech Week; New Orleans BioInnovation Center; Operation Spark; PowerMoves; Propeller: A Source for Social Innovation; St. Bernard Economic Development; The Meraux Foundation; Tulane University, AB Freeman School Of Business; Urban League of Greater New Orleans; Village Capital; City of New Orleans; St. Charles Parish; and VetLaunch.
• 500 NOEW 2016 VIP Passes available for $250 for entry into the CVB VIP Lounge and select private events during NOEW.
• The NOEW 2016 kickoff event, a block-party style opening celebration on Fulton Street, at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, March 11.
The Idea Village is an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in New Orleans that provides direct service to high impact entrepreneurs, convenes the ecosystem through New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW), and supports initiatives that strengthen our entrepreneurial infrastructure. The IV 100, a group of forward thinking corporations, foundations and individuals committed to New Orleans’ future, funds the Idea Village.
Registration for NOEW 2016 is now open. All who pre-register will receive updates on the schedule, invitations to special events, and exclusive access to exciting offers from NOEW partners.
Watch a video about NOEW 2016 here
