NEW ORLEANS – Louisiana Economic Development (LED) turns 90 next year and to mark the anniversary, they’ve launched an ambitious 9×90 Work Plan to proactively achieve nine high-impact initiatives that boost economic growth, encourage innovation, and increase job opportunities.
“We’re focused on building the most robust economy in the Southeast,” said Susan Bonnett Bourgeois, Secretary, Louisiana Economic Development. “The 9×90 Work Plan is nine bold initiatives from our new strategic plan, all set for completion by the end of next year when LED turns 90 years old.”
The 9×90 Work Plan calls for measures such as appointing economic development liaisons in all partner agencies, launching a “Project Lightning Speed” task force to reduce risk, and crafting incentive packages for the new High Impact Jobs Program — all part of a broader set of strategies aimed at sharply accelerating Louisiana’s economic growth by the end of 2026.
Elevating Existing Louisiana Businesses
One of the primary objectives of the 9×90 Work Plan is to support companies already operating within the state. “We will conduct economic stewardship visits with 800 driver companies across the state annually,” Bourgeois said. “It’s not just about attracting new industries, though that’s important too, with companies like Meta and Hyundai making waves. It’s also about ensuring that companies that are already here receive the same level of support as the new, shiny things.”
The 800 stewardship visits are designed to provide focused support to Louisiana’s key growth-driving businesses in every region. “We’ll ask them what they need and what they consider to be a barrier. Eight hundred is incredibly aggressive, but we are committed to achieving this.”
Louisiana Business Database
To attract investors and highlight Louisiana’s strengths, the Louisiana Business Database will provide a comprehensive, easy-to-access resource that links local companies with potential partners from outside the state.
“We’re creating a self-populated database of Louisiana vendors and suppliers to increase their visibility to larger companies and investors,” Bourgeois said. “When companies like Meta come to Louisiana seeking to invest, we need a document that highlights existing vendors and suppliers, their expertise, and their labor strengths. While we can’t force these investors to use Louisiana companies, the database will help us highlight what Louisiana has to offer.”
This voluntary database will allow local businesses to showcase their strengths and expertise to potential investors to increase their chance of gaining new work.
Site Development and Infrastructure
The Site Investment and Infrastructure Improvement Fund, established in the 2025 legislative session, is a $150 million initiative to create sites that are ready for investment and that have the infrastructure needed for companies seeking to establish a footprint here.
“We’re deploying these state resources with a view to creating a direct return for Louisiana,” said Bourgeois. “This initiative will make LED an equity partner in every development deal, ensuring ongoing returns for the state.”
Meta is currently developing the one site LED owned. “Meta is paying us to lease the land,” said Bourgeois. “Before the 2025 legislative session, I didn’t have a tool to put that money anywhere. Now, deals like Meta and Hyundai will feed revenue into this fund, creating a dedicated stream that can be reinvested to drive Louisiana’s growth.”
While every state has a fund for site development, Bourgeois says Louisiana is the only state doing it like this. “The fund is going to replenish itself.”
Increase in Capital and New Seed Funding
LED is targeting a 200% increase in capital for early-stage technology companies, recognizing that Louisiana’s tech sector needs more venture capital to scale.
“We have to support Louisiana companies with capital to scale. While we have startup and R&D funding, we hit a barrier in Louisiana when it comes to securing growth capital,” Bourgeois said. “Louisiana has the potential to support biopharma and tech ventures, but without this funding, companies are forced to relocate their headquarters to cities like Atlanta, Austin, and Dallas.”
LED is also onboarding three new seed-stage capital funds through the Louisiana angel investor’s organization Louisiana Innovation (LA.IO) to help support startups.
“We already have partnerships in place with businesses like Ochsner and now we’re going to bring in 3 additional outside funds,” said Bourgeois.
Small Business Toolkit
LED is launching a technology-driven Small Business Toolkit to provide a one-stop resource for the tools, information, and connections small businesses need to thrive in Louisiana. “It will contain information about accounting, provide ready access to tax forms, and provide parish specific business information,” said Bourgeois.
Pilot C-Suite Program
The Pilot C-Suite Program will enlist 20–30 senior private-sector leaders to serve as advisors, providing high-level industry expertise to directly support and strengthen LED’s initiatives.
“Early on we realized there were a lot of private sector people that want to help to make LED and Louisiana successful, but didn’t have a formalized process to do that,” said Bourgeois. “This program will connect business leaders with key sectors to drive capital investments.”
Global Partnerships
LED is prioritizing Louisiana’s global competitiveness with an international strategy focusing on the three key regions of Japan, Australia, and Europe.
“We’ve never had a coordinated international strategy before,” said Bourgeois. “We worked with the Louisiana Board of International Commerce to determine the 7 sectors where Louisiana has the best opportunity to win and we determined which parts of the world, that are politically stable, align with those sectors. Now we’re targeting markets in England, Germany, France, and LNG-rich Australia.”
Leadership in Innovation and AI
LED is focusing on becoming a leader in emerging technologies, with a particular emphasis on AI. The department is launching six AI pilot projects across sectors like energy, risk management, and trade, aiming to position Louisiana as a leader in applied AI.
“Meta put Louisiana on the map for physical infrastructure, but we want to be leaders in applied AI as well,” Bourgeois said.
9×90 Work Plan Initiatives
The 9×90 Work Plan is anchored by nine initiatives that connect vision to action:
- Whole of Government strengthens interagency coordination through designated liaisons and a “Project Lightning Speed” task force to reduce time, risk, and cost on major projects;
- The Louisiana Opportunity Campaign promotes Louisiana’s economic momentum to targeted out-of-state audiences and local residents through strategic campaigns and public-private partnerships;
- Elevated Focus on Existing Louisiana Businesses delivers practical resources, market access, and targeted communications to help driver companies and small firms expand;
- Investing in Louisiana’s Long Game channels capital into infrastructure, early-stage tech, and new seed funds that yield lasting returns;
- Ease of Use reimagines LED’s offices, technology, and team integration to make every stakeholder interaction seamless;
- Whole of Louisiana Engagement aligns regional strategies, engages senior executives, and equips private-sector partners with lead-generation tools;
- Ensure Louisiana’s Competitive Advantage sharpens the state’s policy agenda and incentive offerings to strengthen its business position;
- Maximize Project Pipeline advances energy-sector plans, international outreach, and a clearly defined process for prioritizing high-value projects; and
- Leadership in Innovation and AI positions Louisiana at the forefront of emerging technologies through pilot projects, enterprise-wide AI adoption, and new accelerators.
