LETTER FROM OUR CEO
Genevieve Silverman
President & CEO
2021 was an exciting and challenging year for entrepreneurs in Louisiana. Still reeling from 2020, local founders faced unique, pandemic-driven challenges with no playbook to follow. But entrepreneurs are resilient, and our local startup leaders found ways to adapt and thrive.
Those challenges spurred us to make some big changes of our own.
For decades, Nexus Louisiana has provided resources to local entrepreneurs and investors. But the way we’ve presented those programs to the community has often been fractured, and we realized we could be confusing emerging entrepreneurs right at that moment when they most needed clarity and direction. So in 2021, we brought all of Nexus Louisiana’s programs together under one umbrella to make it easier for people to access the coaching, capital and connections they need all in one place.
We look forward to helping create a bigger, better future for the Louisiana tech industry in the years to come.
Coaching
Successful entrepreneurs require advice and support from a variety of sources. It’s not always easy to know how to find the right people — or what to ask them.
That’s where we come in. Nexus Louisiana has assembled Louisiana’s most accomplished mentors to support startups throughout their entrepreneurial journey. Our mentors are hand-picked leaders who specialize in technology, finance, business strategy, venture capital, marketing and more. They’re ready to work with businesses at all stages of growth.
We use the Lean Canvas model for business plan development and can help founders map out a strategy that they can use to test the viability and scalability of their ideas. We also use GrowthWheel, a visual toolbox, to help member companies develop strategic plans and growth objectives to make decisions and take action. These tools aid companies as they identify weaknesses and strengths and track their progress, in both the near and long term, against growth goals.
“We learned a lot about ourselves as business people,” Ward says. “We learned a lot about our customers. Some of the stuff that they had us implement for our ‘homework,’ per se, is stuff that we are still doing on a day-to-day basis.”
– Nely Ward
Basic Fitness, Co-founder
Capital
Raising funds is one of the biggest hurdles startups face. A brilliant business idea can remain a dream without access to capital to help turn it into a reality.
Nexus Louisiana provides multiple opportunities that help startups secure the funding needed to take their businesses to the next level.
Connections
Successful entrepreneurs require advice and support from a variety of sources. It’s not always easy to know how to find the right people — or what to ask them.
That’s where we come in. Nexus Louisiana has assembled Louisiana’s most accomplished mentors to support startups throughout their entrepreneurial journey. Our mentors are hand-picked leaders who specialize in technology, finance, business strategy, venture capital, marketing and more. They’re ready to work with businesses at all stages of growth.
We use the Lean Canvas model for business plan development and can help founders map out a strategy that they can use to test the viability and scalability of their ideas. We also use GrowthWheel, a visual toolbox, to help member companies develop strategic plans and growth objectives to make decisions and take action. These tools aid companies as they identify weaknesses and strengths and track their progress, in both the near and long term, against growth goals.
“We were taking away a lot more than just a check. We’re taking away from this experience all of the connections that we’ve made here that are really happy for and excited us...”
– Madgrie Francis
Winner, 2021 BizTech Challenge
LETTER FROM OUR Chairman
Calvin Mills
CEO, CMC Technology Consulting; Designee of Mayor-President Sharon Weston-Broome, City of Baton Rouge
As our community emerges from the unique challenges created by the pandemic, we all continue to look forward. I’m excited to share with you some of the exciting developments to come in 2022.
This year, we are launching MicroBREW — a new program that will combine the best of BREW, Tech Park Academy and PitchBR. MicroBREW will consist of peer learning, networking and, of course, a pitch competition. Watch for more details as we bring this exciting concept to life.
Join us as we find innovative ways to provide coaching, capital and connections for all our members.
Thank you for supporting Nexus Louisiana. With your help, we can continue to build a bright future for our state’s tech industry.