NEW ORLEANS – Matt Wisdom, co-founder of TurboSquid.com and The Idea Village, along with the nonprofit organizations driving New Orleans’ entrepreneurial ecosystem, unveiled the inaugural members of
the NOLA100.
The NOLA100 is a group of startups that have gained significant traction and have been recognized as leaders of the local entrepreneurship movement. The goal is to reach the 100th company by 2018, New Orleans’ tri-centennial. New members will be added each August in conjunction with The Idea Village’s Entrepalooza event.
“The entrepreneurial movement is well on its way to becoming a significant part of the GDP of New Orleans,” said Wisdom. “It’s time to recognize these entrepreneurs, their companies, and the impact they are having in diversifying our economy.”
As cited in The Data Center’s New Orleans Index at Ten, entrepreneurial activity in the city is currently 64% above the national average, and according to a Kauffman Foundation report, The Importance of Young Firms for Economic Growth, “new and young companies are the primary source of job creation in the American economy. Not only that, but these firms also contribute to economic dynamism by injecting competition into markets and spurring innovation.”
All members of the NOLA100 were selected based on the following criteria: founded during or after 1999, have surpassed $1,000,000 in booked business in a single fiscal year, have the intent of achieving at least 50 percent of sales outside of Louisiana, are headquartered in the 10 parish Greater New Orleans region, and are committed to growing the dynamic and inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem in New Orleans.
Nominating partners include Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses at Delgado Community College, The Idea Village, The Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission, The New Orleans Business Alliance, PowerMoves.NOLA, Propeller, and VetLaunch.
“Collectively, we’ve made a lot of progress over the last 15 years as an entrepreneurial community, but progress does not equal success,” said Tim Williamson, co-founder and CEO of The Idea Village. “In addition to starting great companies in New Orleans, these entrepreneurs are all committed to the future of New Orleans to ensure a thriving community for the next 100 years.”
The 29 entrepreneurs inducted into the NOLA100 include: APMT, Inc.; Audiosocket; Big Easy Blends, LLC; Dinner Lab, Inc.; Dukky, LLC; eTax Credit Exchange, Corp; Fleurty Girl; Golden Leaf Energy; Hollywood Trucks, Inc.; HUKA Productions, LLC; IDScan.net; inFRONT; iSeatz, Inc.; Kickboard, Inc.; KREWE du optic; Lucid; Naked Pizza; Netchex; NOLA Brewing Company, LLC; NOLA Couture; The Occasional Wife; PosiGen; Search Influence; Solomon Group; Sucré; Tierra Resources LLC; TurboSquid.com; Your Nutrition Delivered; and zlien.
The NOLA100 were honored at Entrepalooza, Sunday, August 30, 2015, at the NOLA Brewery, and the NOLA100 will be featured on a permanent sculptural installation housed at The Idea Village.
The inaugural NOLA100 honorees include:
1 – APMT, Inc.:
Entrepreneur(s): Alex W. Reed, Wayne F. Reed, Michael F. Drenski, and W.R. "Bill" Bottoms
Description: Advanced Polymer Monitoring Technologies (APMT) develops, manufactures and distributes products and services for the real time monitoring and control of polymer reactions across all synthetic and natural polymer sectors from R&D through high volume industrial production.
2 – Audiosocket:
Audiosocket licenses independent music to film, TV, advertising, video games and new media.
Entrepreneur(s): Brent McCrossen and Jenn Miller
Description: Audiosocket licenses independent music to film, TV, advertising, video games and new media.
3 – Big Easy Blends, LLC:
Entrepreneur(s): Sal LaMartina, Craig Cordes, and Antonio LaMartina
Description: Big Easy Blends produces authentic-tasting, 100% natural, pre-mixed alcoholic beverages marketed under the name Cordina.
4 – Dinner Lab, Inc.:
Entrepreneur(s): Bryson Aust, Brian Bordainick, Zachary H. Kupperman, Ravi Prakash, and Francisco "Paco" Robert
Description: Dinner Lab is a membership-based social dining experiment that unites undiscovered chefs with adventurous diners who are looking for something different from the traditional restaurant experience.
5 – Dukky, LLC:
Entrepreneur(s): Shawn Burst
Description: Dukky offers customer growth and lead generation technology integrating marketing campaigns that reward responders for promoting brands.
6 – eTax Credit Exchange, Corp:
Entrepreneur(s): Peter Loop II and Raelynn Tammariello Loop
Description: eTax Credit Exchange is the online Marketplace for Buying and Selling tax credits utilizing its patent-pending technology.
7 – Fleurty Girl:
Entrepreneur(s): Lauren LeBlanc
Description: Fleurty Girl offers a unique collection of NOLA-centric shirts created and locally-created and inspired accessories and gifts.
8 – Golden Leaf Energy:
Entrepreneur(s): Troy A. Clark and Dr. Calvin Mackie
Description: Golden Leaf Energy is a renewable energy company that manufactures lubricants and methyl esters.
9 – Hollywood Trucks, Inc.:
Entrepreneur(s): Andre J. Champagne
Description: Hollywood Trucks provides state-of-the-art eco-friendly fleet of vehicles to Mississippi Film Studios to further expand the reach of “Hollywood South".
10 – HUKA Productions, LLC:
Entrepreneur(s): AJ Niland and Bennett Drago
Description: HUKA Productions is a full-service production, talent-buying and promotion company that specializes in festivals, concerts and events.
11 – IDScan.net:
Entrepreneur(s): Denis Petrov and Andrey Stanovnov
Description: IDScan.net provides ID scanning solutions for age verification, access control, fraud prevention, data capture, and CRM software.
12 – inFRONT:
Entrepreneur(s): Chris Laibe
Description: inFRONT serves the safety, security, and workforce management marketplaces.
13 – iSeatz, Inc.:
Entrepreneur(s): Kenneth E. Purcell
Description: iSeatz is a provider of customized online travel and entertainment solutions.
14 – Kickboard, Inc.:
Entrepreneur(s): Jennifer Medbery
Description: Kickboard is a school analytics platform that allows educators to capture, analyze and securely share student performance data.
15 – KREWE du optic:
Entrepreneur(s): John Stirling Barrett II
Description: KREWE du optic is a New Orleans-based and culturally inspired independent eyewear company celebrating individual style with modern, iconic frames.
16 – Lucid:
Entrepreneur(s): Patrick Comer
Description: Lucid is a digital marketplace for sellers and buyers of market research contacts.
17 – Naked Pizza:
Entrepreneur(s): Robbie Vitrano, Jeff Leach, and Randy Crochet
Description: Naked Pizza is developing a new operating model for take-out and delivery pizza, aiming to change the nutritional profile of fast
18 – Netchex:
Entrepreneur(s): Will Boudreaux, Stuart Ethridge, Paul Schock, and Chris Stevens
Description: Netchex is a leading provider of payroll, human resources, time and attendance, and benefit services.
19 – NOLA Brewing Company, LLC:
Entrepreneur(s): Kirk Coco
Description: NOLA Brewing Company brews fine craft beer in New Orleans.
20 – NOLA Couture:
Entrepreneur(s): Cecile Hardy
Description: NOLA Couture celebrates the city’s individuality through custom designs featuring iconic Crescent City motifs.
21 – The Occasional Wife:
Entrepreneur(s): Kay McCaskill-Morrison
Description: The Occasional Wife removes clutter, organizes spaces, cares for and manages client errands, tasks and other daily responsibilities, and plans and coordinates complex social functions.
22 – PosiGen:
Entrepreneur(s): Aaron Dirks and Tom Neyhart
Description: PosiGen is an energy enterprise that increases access to solar panels by reducing their cost.
23 – Search Influence:
Entrepreneur(s): Will Scott and Angie Scott
Description: Search Influence, a web promotion company, plays a vital role in helping its customers (and sometimes their customers) strategically compete online.
24 – Solomon Group:
Entrepreneur(s): Gary Solomon, Jr., Stephen Fink, and Jonathan Foucheaux Description: Solomon Group is an entertainment design and production firm.
25 – Sucré:
Entrepreneur(s): Joel A. Dondis
Description: Sucré is a dessert boutique that hopes to pave the way for a new style of great Louisiana desserts.
26 – Tierra Resources LLC:
Entrepreneur(s): Sarah K. Mack
Description: Tierra Resources provides scientific, financial, regulatory, and eco-asset development advisory services for landowners, corporations, nonprofits, and government entities that seek to mitigate the effects of climate change through blue carbon.
27 – TurboSquid.com:
Entrepreneur(s): Matt Wisdom and Andy Wisdom
Description: TurboSquid is the world's source for professional 3D models.
28 – Your Nutrition Delivered:
Entrepreneur(s): Erik Thomas Frank
Description: Your Nutrition Delivered provides fresh meals to clients who may have few options to eat healthily at work.
29 – zlien:
Entrepreneur(s): Scott Wolfe Jr.
Description: zlien is a cloud based platform that enables construction industry enterprises to take a data driven approach to their security rights and mechanics lien business processes.
