NEW ORLEANS ― The New Orleans BioInnovation Center’s fifth-annual Innovation Louisiana will educate biotech innovators and showcase groundbreaking research being done around the state from Sunday, Nov. 5 –Friday, Nov. 10, at 1441 Canal St.
The New Orleans BioInnovation Center’s flagship event series held each fall will begin with a day of service, followed by an intensive two-day conference featuring prominent speakers from across the country. The week includes a showcase of university research, the BioChallenge pitch competition, and the closing golf scramble tournament at City Park.
The center’s two largest events of the year are open to the public and kick off on Wednesday, Nov. 8. The University Tech Showcase and the BioChallenge competition will bring together entrepreneurs, university researchers, students, clinicians, investors and the general business community to provide support to science startups that are developing new life-saving technologies.
“The University Tech Showcase and BioChallenge competition aren’t just for scientists,” said Aaron Miscenich, president of the New Orleans BioInnovation Center. “They are for anyone who wants to celebrate innovation and entrepreneurship in our state, and to help us build a stronger regional economy.” The events will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 8, at the Joy Theater, 1200 Canal St., beginning at 9:00 a.m.
The Louisiana University Technology Showcase will feature statewide institutions including Louisiana Tech, LSU, the LSU AgCenter, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Tulane, Xavier, ULL, LSU Health Shreveport and LSU Health New Orleans, who will be exhibiting their new, license-ready discoveries with applications in numerous industries. Attendees can see ground-breaking research taking place across Louisiana ranging from new disease treatments and vaccines to novel advanced materials and clean energy technologies. This event will take place from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
At 11:00 a.m., four top regional entrepreneurs will take the stage at the BioChallenge to pitch investors and industry experts for a shot at multiple prizes to fund growth and hiring. This year’s finalists include health innovators Instapath, Obatala Sciences, RDnote, and Ready Responders. The grand prize winner will be awarded $25,000 cash. The New Orleans BioFund will award $25,000 in investment funding, and the audience will vote on a favorite startup to receive $2,500.
The events will connect innovators in the state with industry experts and researchers from around the nation, bringing technological breakthroughs to patients and physicians worldwide, organizers said. Last year, the Innovation Louisiana events brought together nearly 500 startup founders, academic researchers, physicians, students, intellectual property professionals, and other attendees from ten states, eight universities, and five hospital systems.
