Free pizza from Reginelli’s will be provided by Fleur de Lis Financial.

Click here to RSVP

Show Me the Money: Getting Approved for Loans

The program will be presented by Lindsey Navarro of Accion LA and will discuss exactly what they are looking for in an ideal candidate for a small business loan. This event is FREE and even includes your lunch! Lindsey is making a homemade dish called Arroz con Pollo that is her native Panama’s version of Louisiana’s beloved jambalaya.

All of our events will now be listed on the Skillshare website so please join and follow Launch Pad and sign up to share your skills with the rest of New Orleans!

Its hard to believe it just a month ago we gathered for Launch Fest to celebrate the startup spirit in New Orleans. Having Brad Feld and Scott Case in New Orleans was truly a highlight!

It’s been an amazing month since then with the Launch Pad Ignition founders hitting New York for TechCrunch Disrupt last week and headed out to Silicon Valley for meetings next week.

We want to take a moment to reflect on the experience and share the impact of Launch Pad Ignition and Launch Fest on the entrepreneurs who we fund and support.

LAUNCH PAD IGNITION

Please give our 2nd Annual Impact Report a read to see all about what was accomplished through Ignition.

We funded 6 high-growth startups in March. Those startups went through an intensive 7-week program prior to Launch Fest that has continued over the last month. We’re proud of what we’ve built:
Most startups funded in Louisiana in 2011.
First startup conference in Louisiana – completely free and open to the public.
The first Launch Pad Ignition class includes:
Dydra – cloud-based database as a service
Gamebuilder Studio – cross platform game creation tools
Badger – social picture sharing around interests
Rayku – peer-to-peer micro-tutoring network
Kinio – sell films online
Liveset - HD streaming platform for live concerts
MEDIA & LINKS
Tech Cocktail – Launch Pad Ignition Blasts Off First New Orleans Startup Class
Wall Street Journal’s All Things Digital – New Orleans Start-Up Accelerator Ignition Launches Six Companies
NOLA.com / NOLAVie – Six local startups pitch their ideas at Launch Fest
TechCrunch – Absolute Must Watch: Office Hours With Paul Graham at TechCrunch Disrupt
TUAW – Companies to Watch at Disrupt
Pictures from Launch Fest
Videos of the presentations
Videos of the Ignition pitches

SUPPORTERS

Thank you to all of the investors, speakers, mentors, attendees and volunteers who came together for the event and supported these founders. A big thank you to all of our sponsors, without whom it would not have been possible.
Microsoft BizSpark, New Orleans Downtown, UEP Kauffman Foundation, Louisiana Entertainment, FBT Investments, BVM Capital, LGDI, Jones Walker and Launch Pad.
NEXT STEPS

Stay tuned for big announcements coming from Launch Pad Ignition companies. Applications for Launch Pad Ignition open December 1st. And you can get a leg up on things by kicking off your entrepreneurial venture now by joining Launch Pad.

Thanks again!

- Chris, Barre, Peter, Will, Katy & the Launch Pad Ignition founders

This month Brent Lemoine of Stern Agee will discuss

Retirement Planning for Small Business Owners and Employees

Lunch will be assorted Po-Boy’s from Johnny’s and provided by Stern Agee.

Click HERE to RSVP!

Jude Boudreaux of Upperline Financial Planning will present:

“Cash Flow Management at Home (or Budgeting that Doesn’t Suck)”: A strategy to simplify your financial life and increase harmony at home.

Lunch from Capdeville is sponsored by Upperline Financial Planning.

Space is limited so RSVP now!

Wed, July 7th @ Noon – Lunch & Learn: Accounting for the Emerging Business with Don Engler & Jonathan Koenig

We’re kicking off a new luncheon educational series with Don Engler & Jonathan Koenig of Wegmann, Dazet & Company.  They are a local accounting firm that works closely with entrepreneurs and will be sharing some great information about every entrepreneurs most important but often overlooked subject: accounting. A open, informal presentation and group discussion will cover the topics below and more.  Come prepared with your questions:

• The importance of and how to get to having good financial statements to present to lenders, investors and mergers & acquisitions.
• The importance of good internal controls and steps to create them in your growth.
• The availability of state tax credits that can bolster your financial picture as you grow.

The one hour session will be held in the front conference room of the IP building at noon on Wednesday July 7. Wegmann, Dazet & Company is very generously buying lunch so please RSVP below so we can get a head count.

Wed, July 21th @ 5:30 pm – Talent Dating Event @ GNO Code – Mixing business & tech

We try to fill gaps in the startup ecosystem here in New Orleans with the events we host.  This event is designed to bring the tech community (developers & engineers) together with the startup business community (biz peeps & MBA’s).  We want to connect the idea people with the people who can build the ideas.  Modeled after the successful Founder Dating series in the Bay Area.  Give this article a read. The reason we’re calling it Talent Dating and not Founder Dating, is we want to introduce talented people to each other for the purpose of founding a company together or hiring one another to work on a project.

The mixer will take place at 5:30 pm at Capdeville and then will be immediately followed by the GNO Code meeting where the topic will be Apple iPad development.  We invite everyone to attend both.  So we can get a headcount, please RSVP below. See you there.

Launch Fest featured three days of half-day conference sessions between the two weekends of Jazz Fest. Topics included social entrepreneurship, straight-talk with local entrepreneurs, and a pitch session to get companies funded. Of course, in the spirit of Jazz Fest we had four nights of mixers, music, and fun topics. Free and open to the public, the sessions were be held at the IP building. With Launch Fest, we put a new twist on the annual right of spring in New Orleans.

Please see the Launch Fest Impact Report below.  In addition, we wanted to share all of the media from the event:

• Preso Slides: http://hu.la/launchfest2010slides
• Pics Tue: http://hu.la/ccKdQk
• Pics Wed: http://hu.la/9DeYjv
• Pics Thu: http://hu.la/aRscVN
• Video Archive: http://bit.ly/lptv

Launch Fest by the numbers:

• 200+ attendees
• 16 sessions over 3 days with 3 evening mixers
• 10 companies pitched to 18 investors
• 70% of the companies were invited to be introduced to investors
• 2 guests ended up this close to Eddie Vedder: http://yfrog.com/89y1kj

Launch Fest Impact Report

This is a fantastic opportunity to hear directly from experts and jump start your own fundraising.

• Who:  Shane McCarthy, Michael LeBourgeois, Richard Montgomery
• What: Raising Funding – Seed, Angel, VC & Debt – A Panel for Entrepreneurs
• When: Thursday, October 15th, 2009 – 5:30-7:30pm
• Where: Launch Pad – 643 Magazine St.
• Cost: FREE – Open to the public – RSVP below

Shane McCarthy – Director of Finance - Enhanced Capital Partners

Mr. McCarthy is the Director of Finance for ECP.  He is responsible for ECP’s accounting, finance, and financial reporting functions and assists with the monitoring and maintenance of  its portfolio company investments.  Mr. McCarthy also assists with the administration of the firm’s Federal New Markets Tax Credit business segment, as well as the fund administration for a traditional $225 million private equity fund where ECP is a Managing General Partner.  Prior to joining ECP in March 2006, he was an audit manager with Ernst & Young.  Mr. McCarthy is a member of both the AICPA and the Society of Louisiana CPAs.  He received his Masters in Professional Accountancy and a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2001 and 1999, respectively.

Richard Montgomery – General Partner – VCE Capital Partners

Mr. Montgomery is a member of the General Partner, and runs the firm’s New Orleans office. Prior to that time, he was an attorney in the corporate and securities section of the New Orleans office of Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carrère & Denègre, LLP. His practice focused on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, private equity and venture capital financing transactions and entity formation. He is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association.

Mr. Montgomery earned a J.D. in 1999 from the Louisiana State University School of Law, graduating as a member of the Order of the Coif. In law school, he was an associate on the Louisiana Law Review. Prior to that, he earned a B.A. in History from the University of Georgia.

Michael LeBourgeois – Principal - NGP Energy Technology Partners

So, its finally time to do it, we’re throwing a party and YOU are invited.

One of our missions is to celebrate product launches and that’s exactly what we’ll be doing. We’ll be celebrating the launch of Schedulist, an app being launched by Launch Pad member Chris Laibe, and Jodia, an app being launched by Carrollton Technology Partners.

• Who: Carrolton Technology Partners, Schedulist, and Launch Pad
• What: Launch Party and Grand Opening of Launch Pad 4th Floor Expansion
  
• When: Wednesday, Oct 7th – 6:00-8:00 pm
• Where: Launch Pad – 643 Magazine St. New Orleans
• Cost: FREE – Open to the public – RSVP below

Schedulist is the world’s first workforce scheduling program designed specifically to improve workforce retention.  The healthcare system in the US alone spends $60 Billion per year in turnover of the nursing staff with other industries facing similar costs. Schedulist’s patented algorithm and unique interactive tools make the facility “sticky”, enabling business leaders to address potential issues before they result in the departure of a key employee.

Jodia, a creole word meaning ‘Today’ is a web-based client management tool.  Covering far more than just time and billing, Jodia is a comprehensive way for small businesses and freelancers to manage their client relationships.  Jodia keeps track of important client-related files, notes, projects and integrates with major packages like Quickbooks and Peachtree for accounting.  Jodia also prints out and mails invoices to your clients for you in addition to e-mail options.  Jodia is the first product release for Carrollton Technology Partners.

Launch Pad opens its expansion to the 4^th floor of the IP on October 1^st, 2009.  With 11 new offices, an expanded co-working space, and a new film studio in partnership with Deltree, Launch Pad is building on its success attracting entrepreneurs, freelancers, and creative professionals to its shared workspace with a strong community environment.  Launch Pad is now the largest tenant in the IP.

• Who: Dale R. Pfost
• What: “Arc of the Start” presentation for entrepreneurs regarding the process of raising venture capital.
• When: Thursday, Sept 24 @ 5:30 pm
• Where: Launch Pad – 643 Magazine St. New Orleans
• Cost: FREE – Open to the public – RSVP below
  

Dale is an experienced biotech entrepreneur who has served as the CEO of five start-up and high growth companies over the last 25 years.  During this time, he has raised $225 million in cash for these companies in 19 separate financing transactions. Of his five companies, two had IPOs and the other three were acquired in M&A transactions.  His most recent company was sold earlier this year.  Dale received a Ph. D. in physics from Brown University.  He was born and raised in Silicon Valley, and now resides in New Orleans with his wife and son, who attends Tulane University.

Thanks to Richard Montgomery for putting together this amazing opportunity for the New Orleans tech & entrepreneurial community.

We hope you’ll join us for this great presentation.  It is FREE and open to the public. Please RSVP below.