As Louisiana’s leading nonprofit health system, Ochsner delivers high-quality care to thousands of patients every single day across 46 hospitals and 370 health centers.
To advance this vision, Ochsner is proud to support people and organizations that promote access to opportunities, education and resources and change our community’s lives for the better.
One of the many ways Ochsner is investing in the state is through the Ochsner Louisiana Innovation Fund(OLIF). Launched in June 2024, OLIF is a $10 million fund for investments in early-stage, innovative healthcare companies that improve the health of Louisianans and the experience of patients and healthcare professionals across the industry. The fund is a partnership between Ochsner and Louisiana Economic Development (LED) through the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), a program of the U.S. Treasury Department.
The fund identifies and invests in venture and seed-stage health companies that are headquartered or have a meaningful presence in Louisiana. It looks for inspiring founders with innovative solutions that advance Ochsner’s mission and improve the health of the community. Supporting these Louisiana entrepreneurs and businesses is one of the many ways Ochsner is investing in Louisiana by both catalyzing innovation to drive economic development and job growth, and accelerating new solutions designed to improve the health of the communities we serve.
Through this fund, Ochsner made its first investment in Nest Health, a whole-family healthcare provider headquartered in New Orleans. Nest Health provides parents and children with comprehensive medical, behavioral and social care through house calls, virtual care and 24/7 support. This is a completely new model that recognizes the power of meeting people where they are, at home, and addressing needs outside of clinical care. Since launching, Nest Health’s services have become accessible at no additional cost to thousands of families covered by Medicaid in the New Orleans area.
The second investment was in BlueFlite, a company specializing in drone logistics that will work with medical and emergency response companies to deliver time-sensitive supplies to crash sites and other care settings. Ochsner worked with Lafayette Economic Development Authority (LEDA) to advance the investment and secure a commitment from the company to open an office in downtown Lafayette, becoming part of the region’s healthcare and technology ecosystem. BlueFlite is already advancing new solutions with Acadian Ambulance, a Lafayette-based leader in medical transportation and health services, to develop a drone-based blood delivery system.
In addition to OLIF, Ochsner has committed $19.5 million to funds and companies in Louisiana over the past eight years. This includes 10 investments in early-stage companies whose products and services range from healthcare delivery and health tech to life sciences and research. These companies are located throughout the state and support more than 279 jobs. Because of Ochsner’s size and focus on healthcare, its portfolio companies benefit from expertise and mentorship from top tier clinicians and healthcare management professionals, along with access to national networks of venture capital and healthcare industry experts.
One such company is South Rampart Pharma, Inc. (SRP), a New Orleans-based startup that is pioneering a new, non-opioid molecule to treat pain. Opioids have a high risk of addiction and overdose, and current non-opioid options pose their own concerns with prolonged use. SRP’s lead asset has shown exceptional promise in early trials and received Fast Track designation for acute pain from the FDA. The company is currently raising funds to complete Phase II clinical trials, and if successful, will have tremendous impact on the way pain is managed and treated.
Ochsner Ventures, an investment and partnership team within Ochsner, manages OLIF and the health system’s investments in emerging companies and collaborates with an extensive network of ecosystem partners to identify companies with compelling business models and strong leadership teams. The team at Ochsner Ventures works with other investors, economic development organizations, incubators and healthcare leaders in every region in Louisiana to find innovative companies that have the potential to reimagine and transform healthcare in the state and beyond, and that help make the state healthier and stronger.
Visit the program website to learn more at ochsner.org/ventures/funds.
Aimee Quirk is senior vice president and chief corporate development officer of Ochsner Health and CEO of Ochsner Ventures.
