NEW ORLEANS – The Idea Village, a New Orleans–based nonprofit that champions innovation and entrepreneurship across the Gulf South, has added two new team members as it continues to expand its support for founders statewide.
Davario Stevenson
Davario Stevenson joins The Idea Village as the Louisiana Innovation Network Manager, helping drive the development, adoption, and scaling of new ideas, technologies, and business models across all regions of the state. Stevenson also serves as Executive Venture Partner at Boot64 Venture Capital, an investment fund that discovers, invests in, and supports founders at the pre-seed and seed stages.
Previously, Stevenson served a regional economic development organization (REDO) in Louisiana’s capital region. In that role, he led economic impact initiatives, including supporting access to capital and business services, advancing corporate and workplace culture programs, and championing reinvestment in underinvested areas through the organization’s business development and quality-of-place teams.
Before working with the REDO, Stevenson served on the investment team at the Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana (TRSL), where he was Director of Investment Operations for the system’s $25 billion pension plan. He provided due diligence support, managed the $250 million treasury program and $3.5 billion Defined Contribution plan, and oversaw operations across the global portfolio.
Prior to joining TRSL, Stevenson was an Associate with CBRE’s Valuation & Advisory Group in Houston, practicing across the South Region, including Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri. In that role, he performed valuation and market studies for industrial, retail, and multifamily assets. His previous experience also includes roles at The Hershey Company and Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
Stevenson is a graduate of both Louisiana State University and Southern University, holding a B.S. in Accounting from Southern and an M.S. in Finance from LSU.
Karissa Chao
Karissa Chao is an interdisciplinary scientist with a passion for bridging academic research and entrepreneurship. Chao’s background is in biomedical engineering, and she received her PhD in Bioinnovation from Tulane University. She pursued the Bioinnovation program because of its unique curriculum that taught her not only about scientific research but also business and product development, financial projections and raising capital, the FDA regulatory landscape, and intellectual property.
With this foundation, Chao was able to consult for biotechnology startup companies in various business development and operational roles and is excited to bring her years of experience to The Idea Village as a Programs Manager supporting founders beyond biotechnology.
Chao dedicates her free time to contributing to an urban farm, volunteering with local youth-focused organizations, and continuing her research in pediatric infectious diseases and novel diagnostic platforms in the global health context.
About The IDEA Village
Founded in 2000, The Idea Village has supported more than 20,100 entrepreneurs through mentorship, coaching, and access to capital, with alumni companies generating more than $2 billion in regional economic impact. A 501(c)(3) organization, The Idea Village operates business accelerator programs that guide startups from the idea stage through venture capital rounds and works to cultivate a more inclusive, future-driven startup ecosystem.