NEW ORLEANS — Callais Capital is entering 2026 with new momentum across energy innovation, internal technology development and team growth as the New Orleans–based venture capital firm advances several initiatives tied to Louisiana’s evolving innovation economy.
NSF Grant for FUELr
The firm recently received confirmation from Louisiana State University approving a National Science Foundation grant to support the development of FUELr, a new initiative designed to identify, develop, and invest in emerging energy technologies across Louisiana. The FUELr program is intended to help move early-stage energy innovations toward commercialization while strengthening the state’s role in next-generation energy solutions.
Callais Capital’s involvement in energy commercialization predates the new initiative. Managing Partner Harold “Hal” Callais II has served on the governance board of LSU’s FUEL program and previously co-chaired its technology commercialization committee.
Callais Capital said FUELr aligns with Louisiana’s broader Whole of Louisiana Energy Strategy, which aims to position the state as a national and global leader across traditional and emerging energy sectors. The firm expects to begin launching the program this year, with additional milestones to be announced as the initiative progresses.
The firm’s energy focus builds on an existing portfolio that includes Louisiana-based and Louisiana-connected companies operating across clean energy, technology and related infrastructure sectors.
AI Implementation
In parallel, Callais Capital has begun implementing a proprietary AI platform developed with support from the Revelry.ai team. The internal system is designed to streamline workflows across the firm’s entities and investment verticals while providing investors with faster access to insights and real-time responses to investment-related questions. Firm leadership said early use cases are already demonstrating efficiency gains as staff complete user training.
Team Expansion
The firm also announced the addition of Matt Kappel, who has joined Callais Capital as an analyst. In his role, Kappel will support the investment team through financial analysis, research, and execution across the firm’s active portfolio, as the firm advances new initiatives and evaluates opportunities across multiple investment themes.
The addition comes as Callais Capital continues to scale its investment platform alongside new energy, technology, and operational initiatives heading into 2026, focusing on long-term trends in these sectors rather than targeting specific funding stages. The firm has also positioned itself as a local investment partner for national and out-of-state investors seeking exposure to Louisiana-based companies and technologies.
Together, the developments reflect a busy start to 2026 for Callais Capital as it expands its role at the intersection of venture investment, energy innovation, and technology-enabled operations in Louisiana.
About Callais Capital
Callais Capital is a New Orleans–based venture capital firm focused on early-stage companies, with an emphasis on sectors tied to Louisiana’s long-term economic priorities, including energy, technology, and innovation-driven growth. The firm invests across multiple stages and works closely with founders, research institutions, and public-sector partners to help translate emerging ideas into scalable businesses. Since its founding, Callais Capital has invested more than $300 million across more than 80 companies, primarily at the early and growth stages.
