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Built To Innovate

Creativity & innovation are what makes New Orleans Built To Host complex meetings and events. New science and technologies are revealed and distributed, and new product launches are the catalysts of moving global commerce forward. When people gather, creativity and innovation can truly thrive.

Port Of New Orleans

Cruise Passengers

  • The Port of New Orleans records more than 1.2 million cruise passengers yearly.
  • Royal Caribbean operates the Brilliance of the Seas from New Orleans, reinforcing the city’s role as an active and ongoing cruise homeport.
  • Carnival Cruise Line has operated from New Orleans for over three decades and, under a long-term agreement, has homeported two year-round ships, Carnival Valor and Carnival Liberty.
  • Norwegian Cruise Line deploys the Norwegian Getaway for New Orleans sailings, reinforcing the Port of New Orleans as a recurring homeport within its cruise operations.
  • River cruises are thriving in the Port of New Orleans with a total of 6 homeported river vessels. The companies that sail are American Cruise Lines and Viking River Cruises. 

Carnival Valor Cruise Ship

New Container Facility

  • The Louisiana International Terminal, targeted for completion in 2028, is a $1.8 billion state-of-the-art container facility on the Lower Mississippi River designed to serve vessels of all sizes and significantly expand Louisiana’s import and export capacity. 
  • The Port of New Orleans estimates the 400-acre terminal will stimulate the creation of more than 18,000 new jobs statewide by 2050. 

The Idea Village

The Idea Village has been a driving force behind innovation in New Orleans, fostering a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem that fuels fresh ideas and bold solutions. Through initiatives like New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW), this nonprofit empowers startups and business leaders, making the city a hub for creativity and forward-thinking industries. With this spirit of innovation woven into the fabric of New Orleans, meetings and events here are surrounded by inspiration, collaboration, and limitless possibilities.

The Idea Village

For the past 25+ years, The Idea Village has:

  • Served 20,100+ entrepreneurs in the region.
  • Provided more than $33.7 million in resources through its direct network.
  • Raised over $115 million in capital from alumni later-stage programs.
  • Recorded 97,807 mentor hours from professional service providers.
  • Helped cultivate a founder network in which more than half have gone on to invest in, mentor, or launch additional companies across the greater New Orleans region.

Inclusive Innovation

In recent years, New Orleans has emerged as a leader in advancing diversity within the tech industry, cultivating an inclusive and collaborative innovation ecosystem. The city consistently ranks among the top U.S. markets for women and African Americans in tech jobs per capita, reinforcing its reputation as a welcoming tech hub.

BioDistrict

The following examples reflect its significant progress in building a wide-reaching tech ecosystem: 

  • Tech Talent Development Programs for Underserved Communities 
  • Inclusive Tech Startups and Innovation Hubs 
  • Diversity-Focused Tech Organizations and Meetups 
  • Educational Programs and Coding Bootcamps 
  • Corporate Initiatives and Tech Job Pipelines 
  • Government and Nonprofit Initiatives 

Artemis Rocket

The core stage for the SLS (Space Launch System) of the Artemis rocket was built at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. Towering at 212 feet, it is the backbone of the Moon rocket which will be the most powerful ever and will carry the first woman and person of color to the moon.

Innovative Achievements:

  • Haliade-X 12 MW - LM Wind Power’s Technology Center Americas facility (TCA), based on the NASA Michoud campus, has built the world’s longest offshore wind turbine blade at 107 meters in length.
  • Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL) Oyster Shell Recycling Program has constructed over 8,000 feet of oyster reef living shoreline protection with recycled shells collected from New Orleans restaurants.
  • New Orleans is a hotbed for higher education institutions and research facilities, which are making impacts in the fields of renewable energy, biomedical, sustainability, innovation, medicine, and hundreds of other disciplines. New Orleans is home to 13 Universities & Colleges. Forbes has recognized New Orleans as one of the best U.S. cities for college students and graduates, ranking second in the nation for the number of colleges per capita and offering a strong pipeline of emerging talent.
  • $400 million expansion at the National World War II Museum including the Expressions of America exhibit uniquely combines the latest outdoor projection technology with wartime letters and oral histories from the Museum’s collection. New Orleans was chosen as the home of the National World War II Museum because the Higgins boat was designed, manufactured and tested in New Orleans.

LEARN MORE ABOUT INNOVATIONS:

https://www.neworleans.com/developingnola/

If you’re looking for creative ways to make an impact on your host destination, New Orleans has innovative opportunities to leave your positive impact.