Here are some of the week’s biggest business stories affecting the Greater New Orleans business community:
JEDCO’s planned $8.7 million Greater New Orleans Food & Beverage Incubator aims to fill a long-standing gap in the region’s food business ecosystem by providing commercial production space and business support to help entrepreneurs bring products to market.’
JEDCO Incubator to Boost Food Startups
A proposed $4.24 million renovation would convert four historic buildings on Gravier Street in downtown New Orleans into a nine-suite boutique hotel, continuing the adaptive reuse of older commercial properties in the CBD.
$4.24M Boutique Hotel Proposed on Gravier Street
Louisiana added nearly 33,000 workers to its labor force over the past year, ranking No. 1 nationally for workforce growth and construction employment growth while tying for the nation’s largest increase in labor force participation, according to Louisiana Works.
Louisiana Ranked No. 1 in Workforce Growth
STartUP Northshore has selected three finalists to compete in its Summer 2026 THE LAUNCHPAD startup pitch competition on July 23 in Mandeville, where they will vie for a $5,000 grant prize pool after receiving coaching and mentorship.
STartUP Northshore Reveals 3 LAUNCHPAD Finalists
Zenistry Labs founder Lo Williams-Thomas won the inaugural 2026 New Voices NOLA POWER PITCH! at the ESSENCE Festival of Culture, earning a $25,000 grant and ongoing mentorship through a partnership between the New Voices Foundation and Startup Noir NOLA to support Black entrepreneurs.
Zenistry Labs Wins $25K at New Voices Startup Pitch
Here are more of the week’s top business stories:
LMHE Awards Retail Contract to SSA Group
Timely Audit Filing Marks Fiscal Progress
Bollinger to Begin Arctic Cutter Production
Fancy Faces Marks Nearly 50 Years of Business Evolution
NRF Honors Jambalaya Girl as ‘America’s Retail Champion’
