RoR Happenings in NOLA with RubyConf
Posted in: Uncategorized by Chris Schultz on November 6, 2010 | No Comments
New Orleans is home to many exciting happenings in the world of Ruby on Rails this week as RubyConf comes to New Orleans for the first time. We’re excited to be hosting events at Launch Pad and sponsoring events through Flatsourcing. I wanted to take a minute to share everything that is going on this week.
- RoR Training Fundraiser – 11/10 9am-4pm – Jumpstart Lab is hosting an all-day training session at Launch Pad on Wed. This class is an excellent TDD/Rails3 primer. I’m personally looking forward to taking this class and challenging Anton to a code-off next time I’m in Kazan. All proceeds from the class are going to a Teach For America classroom. Sign up here.
- RubyConf – 11/11-13 – RubyConf will be held at the Hilton Riverside and features three days of fantastic content.
- RubyHappy Happy Hour – 11/11 5-7pm – Join us at the IP building for happy hour in the IP building and at Capdeville hosted by iSeatz, Audiosocket, Flatsourcing & Launch Pad. Sign up here.
- Ruby Bayou Meetup – 11/11 7pm – Following the happy hour, take part in New Orleans’ own Ruby Bayou monthly meeting at Launch Pad. Register now.
I’m excited to be supporting these through Flatsourcing & Launch Pad, and most of all, I’m excited to take the class on Wednesday and start rocking the rails myself 
Launch Pad’s role in New Orleans recovery
Posted in: Uncategorized by Chris Schultz on August 30, 2010 | No Comments
On this 5th anniversary of Katrina, there has been much reflection about New Orleans. We have made many strides as a city, yet there remains much work to be done. The city is broad and diverse and I wouldn’t for a minute pretend to know the challenges that so many have faced over the last five years.
One bright spot has been the emergent entrepreneurial community in New Orleans. I been a New Orleanian equal parts pre & post storm now, and it amazes me how different the business climate is today. There is a collaborative, bootstrapping, can-do spirit driving us and the last few years have been the most inspirational of my business career. There is something truly special going on in New Orleans right now, and I am humbled that the people of Launch Pad, our community, is playing such an vital role in this resurgence.
There has been plenty of coverage this week about what is going on in New Orleans, and I wanted to share some of it with you here. Thanks to everyone in New Orleans for being here and to everyone else for your love and support!
LPTV Episode 49 – Matthew Moseley & Alex Hochron – June 4, 2010
Posted in: Uncategorized by AbbyHardy on June 4, 2010 | No Comments
This was our 1 year anniversary episode! We had some great guests on today with Matthew Moseley on to talk about his book Dear Dr. Thompson & also Alex Hochron to talk about HealthCampNola!
Our next episode will be June 25th as we’ll begin having one LPTV a month the last Friday of each month!
LPTV // Episode 41 – March 19, 2010 // Robert Fogarty & Jessica White
Posted in: LPTV, Uncategorized by AbbyHardy on March 19, 2010 | No Comments
This week was a great outdoor episode filmed just outside of Capdeville with Chris Schultz and Chris Boudy hosting. Robert Fogarty was in to talk about DearNewOrleans.org and his trip to sxsw. Jessica White was our featured guest as she discussed BizCampNola.com. Andrew Larimer LAM-ed with Evan of the Land of Opportunity (http://kck.st/aBAg9G).
LPTV – Episode 39 // 3.5.2010 Vera Lester, Mark Heck & Rachel Puckett, The Craft Brothers, and Tim Williamson.
Posted in: LPTV, Uncategorized by AbbyHardy on March 11, 2010 | No Comments
This week we were back on the 1st Floor of LaunchPad and Andrew Larimer co-hosted with Benjamin Reece. Andrew talked with Rex and Bella of the Rex and Bella Show to announce their launch. Vera Lester was on to talk about the Young Leadership Council’s Wednesdays at the Square. Tim Williamson stopped in to discuss Entrepreneur Week. We also had Rachel Puckett and Mark Heck of NOIR Collective on the show to discuss Foburg Festival. Finally, we had musical guests, the Craft Brothers, on to close the show!
4:00 – 4:02 – Title Sequence // Standard Welcome
4:02 – 4:04 – Who’s on, What they do
4:04 – 4:07 – News & Headlines with Andrew & Ben
4:07 – 4:10 – Upcoming Events // Tim Williamson // Entrepreneur Week
4:10 – 4:14 – Vera Lester // Young Leadership Council
4:14 – 4:18 – Andrew Larimer // Rex and Bella Show Launch
4:18 – 4:21 – Chris Boudy // Specialty Segment
4:21 – 4:28 – Rachel Puckett & Mark Heck // Noir Collective // Foburg Festival
4:28 – 4:31 – The Craft Brothers // Musical Guest
4:31 – 4:32 – Goodbye
Welcome WorkNOLA & NOLA YURP-ers
Posted in: Uncategorized by Chris Schultz on May 20, 2009 | No Comments
Austin from WorkNOLA was just kind enough to send out Launch Pad in a WorkNOLA email blast. If you’ve clicked through because you got that blast, you’re in the right place.
For the next 10 days, we’re offering 50% of the first month membership to all founding members. We open June 1st, and its going be a great place to work.
Check out our video to learn more about Launch Pad and co-working, and then sign up for more information.
We look forward to working with you.
Launch Pad covered in OMMA Magazine
Posted in: Uncategorized by Chris Schultz on April 9, 2009 | No Comments
We’re thrilled that the positive press for the Launch Pad is already starting. Damien Lamanna called me up the other day excited that he had just read about us in the current issue of OMMA magazine.
The idea of incubating start-ups is catching on outside established tech centers like New York City, Austin and Boulder. Voodoo Ventures, an Internet development company in New Orleans, is preparing to open Launch Pad 2, which will rent office space and support services to local tech start-ups. The first Launch Pad, begun in late 2007, already houses the offices of Voodoo Ventures and several start-ups.
Voodoo founder Chris Schultz moved to New Orleans in 2002 partly for cheap office space for his various start-ups and consulting gigs. In a manner befitting the philosophy of incubators, the idea for Launch Pad was born during a conversation he had with another entrepreneur, a Tulane MBA student. Now, Schultz is using Launch Pad to help New Orleans grow post-Katrina by supporting its nascent high-tech industry.
“As challenging of a time as it is for the country, New Orleans – we sort of took our knock-out blow in 2005, and in a lot of ways, we feel like we’re further along the curve,” Schultz says.
Schultz plans to move the original Launch Pad, currently in an office building on St. Charles Street, into a much larger building this year. He envisions a loft-like space with modular offices so companies can choose to rent more than one unit.
Launch Pad 2 will be a purely pay-for-play environment, Schultz says. Start-ups will pay lease and membership fees, not a share in their future equity.
“The word is getting out. We’ve got about 20 people on the waiting list, so to speak – they’ve expressed interest and are sort of waiting for us to open the doors,” Schultz says. The environment in New Orleans is strong for start-ups like these, he adds. The tech community NetSquared opened a chapter in New Orleans last September. “In just six months, we’re now the sixth-largest [NetSquared] group in the country; we just passed Atlanta,” Schultz says. “There is a real sort of grassroots demand for this.”