New Orleans as an Innovation City
Entrepreneurship in New Orleans has never been just about startups, but about survival, culture, and community, proving that belief can become infrastructure and a city can reimagine itself through an entrepreneurial mindset.
Twenty-five years ago, the city was plagued by negative national headlines focusing on crime, corruption, and decline, but a few visionaries saw possibility and sparked change.
- A small group of rebels scraped together $10,000 to fund a business plan competition in a downtown bar.
- This initial investment sparked The Idea Village, a civic mission to use entrepreneurship as a tool for transformation.
It has always been about proving that belief can become infrastructure — and that a city can reimagine itself through an entrepreneurial mindset.
Unlike other cities, New Orleans never limited itself to one type of entrepreneur, embracing a diverse range of innovative thinkers.
Author's summary: New Orleans can become an innovation city with effort.