NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW) has announced its full programming lineup for NOEW 2026, taking place March 9–14, with the flagship NOEW Summit at Loyola University on March 12–13. The announcement includes the first public confirmation of a headline fireside chat featuring Mayor Helena Moreno in conversation with Tim Miller, host of The Bulwark Podcast and one of the nation’s most prominent political voices, on the future of entrepreneurship in New Orleans.
With 70+ speakers, 50+ companies represented, and a lineup that spans keynotes, thematic spotlights, interactive experiences, and founder stories, NOEW 2026 marks the most expansive program in the event’s history. NOEW is a free event and registration is open to all at noew.org.
Headline Speakers and Sessions
The NOEW 2026 Summit will feature:
- Jon McNeill — Former President of Tesla and COO of Lyft, McNeill delivers the opening keynote: Building the Next Generation of Companies: New Rules for the AI Age. His talk will break down how companies get built in 2026 and why the leanest, fastest operators are positioned to own the next decade.
- Mayor Helena Moreno & Tim Miller (The Bulwark Podcast) — In one of NOEW 2026’s most anticipated sessions, New Orleans’ newly elected Mayor sits down with one of the nation’s leading political voices for an intimate conversation about her vision for entrepreneurship in the city, and how New Orleans plans to build on its momentum as one of America’s fastest-growing startup hubs.
- Josh Fleig (LA.IO) — Keynote unveiling Louisiana’s statewide tech vision, including the launch of the LA.IO Live Events Network and what’s now possible for founders building here.
- Nicola Corzine (Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center) — Presenting exclusive data from the Advancing Regional Innovation Economies report showing New Orleans consistently outpacing the nation in startup growth, followed by a panel of ecosystem leaders on coordinating capital, policy, and founders.
- Brett Hurt & Matt Wisdom — A special keynote session on The Scarcity Trap: reframing ambition from local small-biz to global scale. Brett has built and exited three venture-backed companies for $450M+. Matt scaled TurboSquid to a $101M exit and literally wrote the Louisiana Digital Interactive Media incentives that launched the state’s tech economy.
- Becker Hall (Hogs for the Cause) — From Backyard BBQ to $17 Million for Good: how a mission-driven platform scaled into one of New Orleans’ most beloved festivals, moderated by LeBron Joseph (WGNO-TV).
- Hannah & John Huppi — The Arctic Challenge: Lessons from the Edge of the World. Insights from a record-breaking 1,000-kilometer Arctic Ocean rowing expedition — and what it teaches founders about resilience and doing the impossible.
Additional NOEW 2026 Speakers
Additional featured speakers and panels include:
- Aubrey Avocado moderating Raising the Bar with Patrick Brennan (Congregation Coffee), Marie LaFrance (Louie Louie), and Christa Cotton (El Guapo Bitters) — a new generation of beverage founders redefining categories from New Orleans
- Robert Mercurio (Galactic, Tipitina’s) and Lou Hill (Waterseed) on building business empires beyond the stage
- Elizabeth Tilton (Oyster Sunday), Dan Meth (Ingest), and Robért LeBlanc on how New Orleans is becoming a restaurant tech hub
- Lee Martin (developer — Bon Iver, The Black Keys, Lainey Wilson), Ryan Chavez (Imprinted), and Mike Mauer (Gate52) on AI and music marketing
- Dan Fox (Antigravity) and Annamaria Bech (Viva NOLA) on independent media’s power in the community
- Gulf South Angels, Corridor Ventures, and Flamingo Funders on making your startup fundable
- Delta Utilities hosting two panels on building and scaling within the local ecosystem — one focused on early-stage founders finding traction, one for companies ready to scale. Practical, candid, and built for the Gulf South.
- Red Bull Basement — Want to pitch your idea on a global stage? Red Bull Basement gives early-stage builders mentorship, development support, and backing from Microsoft and AMD, culminating in a Silicon Valley pitch for $100K in equity-free funding.
- Startup NOIR NOLA returns with its mini-summit on the Ochsner Stage on Thursday, spotlighting a diverse set of founders — from tech to food and beverage — and the stories behind them.
- Founder Stories from: Fringe & Co, Batter Bakery, Super Witch Ice Cream, National Fried Chicken Festival, Crescent Canna, TrayAway, bEHR Health, Gamarra Media, NOAI, R-Coast, and many more
Programming Built for Participation
NOEW 2026 is not a sit-and-listen conference. Every session is designed for doing, connecting and momentum:
- Live Fire — Real companies present real challenges. Seasoned entrepreneurs deliver solutions on the spot. Rapid-fire, unfiltered, deeply valuable.
- Morning Networking Walks — Both Summit days open with a lap around Audubon Park. Real conversations happen when you’re moving together.
- Founder Fuel Sessions — Breathwork, guided meditation, and Move Ya Brass movement breaks built into the schedule. Founder burnout is real; we’re building in the recovery.
- Hype Song Karaoke — Part karaoke party, part breakthrough session. Vulnerability builds trust. Trust builds businesses.
- Resource Row — Direct access to legal services, funding sources, marketing agencies, and technical resources. No appointments needed.
- NOEW at Night at Gasa Gasa — The week closes with Jelly Joseph at one of New Orleans’ most beloved venues. All registrants get free access. Free beer courtesy of Urban South (first come, first served). Because the best conversations happen over live music, not in boardrooms.
- Coffee & DJ Sets — Every Summit morning starts with live music.
The Week at a Glance
- March 9–11: City-wide programming with ecosystem partners — workshops, founder meetups, and community activations hosted by GNO, Inc., The Idea Village, Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans, Tulane Innovation Institute, Lepage Center, StartUP Northshore, The Beach at UNO, and Xavier University.
- March 12–13: The Summit at Loyola University — two immersive days of keynotes, panels, sector spotlights, interactive sessions, and networking. Thursday’s theme: Spark & Connect. Friday’s theme: Build & Launch.
- March 13 (evening): NOEW at Night at Gasa Gasa, featuring Jelly Joseph. Free for all registrants.
Powered by the Gulf South Ecosystem
NOEW 2026 is a collaborative platform built by the ecosystem, for the ecosystem. Lead partners include GNO, Inc., Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans, Lepage Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, StartUP Northshore, The Beach at UNO, The Idea Village, Tulane Innovation Institute, and Xavier University. Working together, these leaders in the entrepreneurial ecosystem are creating NOEW programming that reflects the diversity and creativity of the Gulf South.
NOEW is produced by Loyola University and Powered by LA.IO and NOTCF.