About Us

New Orleans was recently named America's "#1 Brain Magnet" by Forbes and the "Coolest Startup City in America" by Inc. Magazine. NOLAbound is a bold initiative designed to give 25 qualified individuals the opportunity to experience the city’s economic renaissance firsthand, while documenting and sharing their unfiltered impressions of the “new” New Orleans with a focus on the entrepreneurial movement within four sectors: arts-based businesses, biosciences, digital media, and sustainable industries.

An all-expenses-paid program for professionals from across the country to assess the city as a model of new business progress and thinking, NOLAbound will partially coincide with the fourth annual New Orleans Entrepreneur Week. From March 14-18, 2012, participants will share their unfiltered experiences and insights about New Orleans’ businesses and entrepreneurial community with the rest of the world.

NOLA Bound is a collaborative effort of New Orleans Downtown Development District, Greater New Orleans, Inc., and The Idea Village. The project is made possible with generous funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration.

NOLAbound Partner Organizations

The Downtown Development District of New Orleans (DDD) was created by the Louisiana Legislature in 1974 as the nation’s first assessment-based business improvement district (BID) to provide enhanced services in economic development, cleaning and safety. The DDD services the area bounded by Iberville Street, the Pontchartrain Expressway, Claiborne Avenue and the Mississippi River. The DDD is governed by an 11-member Board of Commissioners who represent a cross section of the diverse Downtown community. Appointed by local elected officials, our commissioners help guide the policies and programs of the DDD.

http://www.neworleansdowntown.com/

Greater New Orleans, Inc. is a regional economic development agency serving the 10-parish Greater New Orleans region. Under the leadership of President and CEO Michael Hecht, GNO, Inc. has established itself as a community wealth-creation nonprofit organization.

GNO, Inc. plays a vital role as the regional economic development hub, serving to coordinate, consolidate, and then catalyze economic development initiatives. The organization’s aim is to generate wealth and improve the quality of life in the region. Attracting and retaining businesses; advocating for policies to improve the competitive climate; and, ensuring the availability of a high-quality workforce, GNO, Inc. intends to counter negative perceptions and ensure that there is a clear understanding of the supreme opportunities available in the Greater New Orleans region.

http://www.gnoinc.org/

Founded in 2000, The Idea Village is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization with a mission to identify, support and retain entrepreneurial talent in New Orleans.

The Idea Village supports the startup of new ventures and fosters an entrepreneurial ecosystem in New Orleans through the IDEAxcelerator™, IDEAinstitute™, and New Orleans Entrepreneur Week™ (NOEW).

The Idea Village has solidified its position as a leading driver of entrepreneurship by providing direct support to 1,101 local entrepreneurs by engaging 1,746 professionals to allocate over 42,000 consulting hours and $2.7 million in capital. Each day, The Idea Village encourages the New Orleans community to live by the mantra: “Trust Your Crazy Ideas.”

http://www.ideavillage.org