January 16, 2026 — Now is the time for New Orleans to have a vibrant, public conversation about the role of innovation in our economic development strategy, particularly as our new mayor takes office.
A recent study by the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center named New Orleans-Metairie a Top 20 metro area across the nation for entrepreneurship and venture activity. After evaluating over 250 metro regions, New Orleans rose to the top of the list based on clear metrics that show how successfully we are producing new, growing companies, while also pointing to the strong systemic support in our region that powers this “innovation ecosystem.” Indicators measuring our robust talent pool, capital availability and a supportive policy environment show that New Orleans is ripe for our potential to build on this momentum.