MANDEVILLE – STartUP Northshore has announced that applications for the Fall 2023 IDEAinstitute Northshore cohort are now open to entrepreneurs across St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Washington parishes. From now until Aug. 25, STartUP Northshore and the Idea Village will be accepting applications for the 10-week accelerator program, which is set to begin on the week of Sept. 4.
“Cultivating an entrepreneurial ecosystem is at the heart of our mission, and the IDEAinstitute Northshore program has been a game-changer for our local entrepreneurs, providing them with the tools and support they need to thrive,” said Cenzo Caronna, STartUP Northshore’s program manager and entrepreneur in residence. “Our partnership with the Idea Village has brought world-class business development resources to our Northshore community and has been instrumental to our goal of fostering growth and innovation in our region.”
IDEAinstitute Northshore is an idea-stage accelerator program that introduces innovative entrepreneurs to the tools they need to turn an idea into a scalable venture. The program is led by Dr. Felipe Massa, Associate Professor and Grossman Endowed Chair of Entrepreneurship at the University of Vermont, and brought to the Northshore in collaboration between STartUP Northshore and The Idea Village. Founders will walk away from the program with a plan to build a business following the Lean Startup Methodology, and they will meet a community of like-minded founders along the way. This 10-week program is run in a hybrid format, with each week’s session running virtually with opportunities to engage in person at local events throughout the program.
The IDEAinstitute Northshore program has had a significant impact on the local entrepreneurial ecosystem, serving 38 founders from 36 startups and providing 66 hours of coaching and guidance valued at $16,500, equipping founders with the knowledge to thrive. With a “world-class” Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 89, participation grew by 37.5% from Fall 2022 to Spring 2023, attracting and empowering more local entrepreneurs. As Kim Bergeron, founder of Illuminations, attests, “From the expertise of the program administrators and shared experiences of entrepreneurial alum to the connections forged and mentorship opportunities, IDEAinstitute Northshore is the ultimate business accelerator program.”
“The momentum of regional entrepreneurship shows that good ideas don’t know parish lines,” said Jon Atkinson, CEO of The Idea Village. “The incredible momentum of the STartUP Northshore initiative in less than a year is a testament to what can happen when local resources are dedicated to proven economic development models and organized around the holistic development of an ecosystem,” he said. “By believing in the people and innate talent of the Northshore community and partnering with world-class resources, it is no wonder that we are starting to see entrepreneurship and innovation across the three parishes rapidly grow.”
To learn more about IDEAinstitute Northshore and to apply for the Fall 2023 cohort, visit startupnorthshore.com/idea-institute-northshore or email vcaronna@sttammanycorp.org.
STartUP Northshore is made possible through the financial support and partnership of Chevron, Citizens National Bank, and Cleco Power.
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