NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans Food and Beverage (NOFAB), a StartupNOLA initiative supporting food and beverage startups, will host the New Orleans Food & Beverage Ecosystem Meetup on May 13, bringing together founders and investors for a discussion focused on access to capital and funding strategies.
The event, scheduled for May 13 from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. at Palette Northshore, is being held in partnership with Startup Northshore. It will feature a panel discussion and networking opportunities designed to facilitate direct conversations between entrepreneurs and investors.
Organizers said the event is intended to move beyond traditional pitch formats by creating a more informal setting where founders can engage directly with funders and gain insight into the investment landscape.
Focus on Access to Capital
The program will include a panel discussion on funding strategies for food and beverage consumer packaged goods (CPG) startups. Organizers said the emphasis is on “real talk on what investors are looking for in today’s market.”
Participating investment groups include Gulf South Angels, LA.IO Growth Fund, New Orleans Startup Fund, Propeller Impact Fund and Boot64 Ventures.
Organizers said participating investors back companies across sectors, not just food and beverage, making the event relevant for a wider range of founders.
Food & Beverage Meetup – Networking and Ecosystem Building
The event reflects ongoing efforts across the Gulf South to strengthen connections between entrepreneurs and capital providers as startup ecosystems expand access to early-stage and growth funding. According to StartupNOLA, NOFAB has grown into a network of more than 300 food CPG founders and team members, with quarterly meetups and expanded programming including its inaugural Demo Day earlier this year.
Organizers said the goal is to provide founders with an opportunity to ask questions, build relationships and better understand how to position their companies for investment.
