BATON ROUGE, La. — Tickets are now available for the ninth annual BREW, set to take place from Nov. 12 through Nov. 15 in downtown Baton Rouge, and surrounding locations. BREW is the capital city’s celebration of Louisiana entrepreneurs. It’s produced by NexusLA, a Baton Rouge-based organization that connects the statewide business community to resources and opportunities, and furthers regional collaboration, access to capital and workforce diversity.
BREW Opening Night, Nov. 12, takes place at the Louisiana Emerging Technology Center on Louisiana State University’s campus and showcases innovators from around the region. It’s free and open to the public.
Startup Day on Nov. 13 and Entrepreneur Day on Nov. 14, held at the Raising Cane’s River Center, costs $20 and $30, respectively, with a bundle price available for $5 off when both are selected. Individuals who identify themselves as entrepreneurs, students, or both, can fill out a short questionnaire to receive discounted admission to both days.
Startup Day is a small, hands-on workshop, where startups work closely with experienced entrepreneurs and discuss the challenges of launching a business. Entrepreneur Day features keynote speeches, entrepreneurial panels, breakout sessions, and mentorships, providing the ideal forum for peer learning and networking. The panelists will be comprised of successful local entrepreneurs and investors, discussing topics that range from hemp and cannabis entrepreneurship, to the mental health of entrepreneurs. A full list of the panel topics can be found at www.celebratebrew.com
The BREW High Stakes investment pitch will cap off the conference on Friday, Nov. 15, at the Lyceum Historic Meetings & Events Center. During the event, four startups will vie for a $100,000 investment prize. (Semi-finalists will pitch at a closed door pitch event at the end of October, after which the four finalists will be selected.) Read more about the high-stakes pitch competition, including the rules and application process, here.
BREW 2019 ushers in a new identity for the conference, which is simplified and places the focus squarely on the needs of Louisiana entrepreneurs, with a new tagline, ‘Grow. Support. Connect.’ The new tagline and identity work in tandem to reinforce the most important elements of BREW and what it provides for its attendees — content that promotes growth, resources for support, and an opportunity to connect with peers.
“What we really want this year is for our entrepreneurs to feel like they’re being wholly supported and understood while they’re at BREW, and also after BREW ends,” said Genevieve Silverman, president and CEO of NexusLA. “For us, BREW isn’t just an event, it’s the culmination of all our efforts to support Louisiana’s entrepreneurs, and we want them to experience that.”
Though BREW is tailored to the needs of Louisiana’s entrepreneurs, members of the general public are encouraged to attend if they are interested in learning more about entrepreneurship, or if they have an entrepreneur in their life whom they support.
BREW is produced by NexusLA. Major sponsors include Business First Bank, Stone Pigman Walther Whitman, and LaPorte CPAs & Business Advisors. Media sponsors include Baton Rouge Business Report, 225 Magazine, NBC33 and Fox44. Other sponsors include Wells Fargo Advisors and Printing Source.
