NEW ORLEANS – Greater New Orleans, Inc. (GNO, Inc.) will host Techstars Startup Weekend – New Orleans from May 16–18 at Salon22 in downtown New Orleans. The three-day (54-hour) event is part of the global Techstars Startup Weekend program. It will bring together students, tech professionals and entrepreneurs of all experience levels to brainstorm ideas, form teams, and build startup ventures from scratch in one intensive weekend. Tickets cost $45 and are sold through the online platform Luma.
The Startup Weekend format is designed to simulate the early stages of launching a company. Organizers describe it as a 54-hour educational event focused on rapid ideation and execution. Techstars helps founders scale their startups into world-changing businesses.
Participants begin Friday evening with a networking dinner and a series of 60-second idea pitches. Attendees then vote on pitches and form multidisciplinary teams by late Friday. Throughout Saturday, teams work on their concepts—developing a business model, prototype or MVP and gathering customer feedback—with experienced mentors checking in to offer advice and workshops. By Sunday afternoon, each team finalizes its plan and pitches a demo to a panel of judges drawn from the local startup community. In just 54 hours, participants build and validate their idea with hands-on experience and ultimately pitch their startup to a panel of seasoned judges.
Techstars emphasizes that Startup Weekend is for new ideas only. The process includes developing customer research ideas and a clear business plan. Teams typically use tools like the Lean Canvas business model to map their own business model. By Sunday, teams should have achieved customer validation, built a functional prototype, and developed a forward-looking business model.
Participants achieve customer validation by quickly and creatively testing whether their idea resonates with real potential users:
- Cold outreach and interviews: Teams often go out into the city—literally walk down the street, head to coffee shops, or call/email people in their networks—to conduct rapid interviews or surveys.
- Online validation tools: Participants frequently build simple landing pages or use platforms like Typeform, Google Forms, or Instagram polls to gauge interest. Some even run quick Facebook or Google ads to test demand for a product concept.
- Mentor and peer feedback: Mentors, judges, and fellow participants often serve as valuable proxy users—offering insights based on industry experience or as potential users themselves.
- Live usability tests: If a team builds a prototype or MVP, they can demo it in real time and watch how people respond—this often uncovers issues or confirms desirability.
- Social media testing: Posting on relevant forums, LinkedIn, or local Reddit threads can help teams reach a broader audience and get fast feedback, even during the weekend.
The event is structured to encourage intensive collaboration in a friendly, supportive environment. According to Techstars, Startup Weekend has been held in hundreds of cities worldwide as a way for aspiring entrepreneurs to experience startup life over a long weekend.
Greater New Orleans, Inc. notes that the event is geared toward students, working professionals and experienced founders alike. As GNO, Inc.’s announcement explains: “Whether you’re a student, a working professional, or even an experienced founder, you’ll get the chance to learn about building a startup in just 54 hours.” The only requirement is interest in entrepreneurship – no prior startup must be in place.
A lineup of local startup veterans and investors has been confirmed as mentors. Among them is Kornelius Bankston, managing partner of New Orleans incubator TechPlug. GNO describes him as an advocate for developing equitable health solutions for vulnerable populations with deep experience in economic development, tech transfer and business development. D’avorio Stevenson, an executive venture partner at state investment fund Boot64 Ventures, is another mentor. Stevenson’s fund discovers, invests in, and supports Louisiana-based entrepreneurs in need of start-up capital, aiming to identify early-stage businesses that will create jobs in the region. The roster also includes biotech entrepreneur Trivia Frazier, Ph.D., president and CEO of local startup Obatala Sciences, as well as other seasoned executives and investors. All mentors will guide teams on strategy, technology and marketing throughout the weekend.
In keeping with Techstars tradition, organizers emphasize that the Startup Weekend is an educational, community-driven experience with the opportunity to work side-by-side with like-minded innovators and to receive feedback from experienced mentors and judges.
Event Details: Techstars Startup Weekend New Orleans, Friday–Sunday, May 16–18 at Salon22 (540 Carondelet St., New Orleans). Tickets are $45, sold via Luma. Meals and snacks included; bring a laptop(s) and business idea(s).
Salon22 – the venue for the event – is a downtown New Orleans coworking and events space. Registration is open now via the Luma platform which handles ticketing and check-in.
About GNO, Inc.
Greater New Orleans, Inc. is the regional economic development nonprofit organization serving the 10-parish region of Southeast Louisiana that includes Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Washington parishes.
Our mission is to create a region with a thriving economy and an excellent quality of life, for everyone. The ultimate indication of our success will be the presence of a robust, accessible, and growing middle class in Southeast Louisiana where our children and grandchildren can live and prosper.
