Every big announcement in this state seems to come with the same logo on the press release: Louisiana Economic Development. The Meta data center, the Amazon campuses, SpaceX, a nuclear training center in the Bywater. But LED also runs a smaller shop aimed at people with a laptop and an idea. This is the first in our weekly series on the organizations that shape Louisiana's tech economy, and it starts at the top.

Louisiana Economic Development (LED)

LED is the state agency in charge of bringing companies to Louisiana and helping the ones already here grow. It's led by Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois, and it handles business recruitment, incentive programs and site work. It also funds the eight regional economic development organizations, like GNO Inc. in New Orleans and One Acadiana in Lafayette. (Find all of them in our Build in Louisiana directory.)

For most tech founders, three LED programs come up most often:

  • LED FastStart recruits and trains workers for new and expanding employers at no cost to the company. It's on the incentive list for nearly every major project we've covered, from Applied Atomics to SpaceX.
  • The Digital Interactive Media and Software Program is a tax credit for software, games and apps: 25% of qualifying payroll and 18% of production expenses. The law behind it was amended in 2025, so confirm current terms with LED.
  • The Louisiana Technology Transfer Office, based at NASA's Michoud facility, helps small companies apply for federal SBIR and STTR research grants, including small "Phase 0" grants of $3,000 to $5,000 to help write a proposal.

Louisiana Innovation (LA.IO)

In February 2025, LED launched Louisiana Innovation, branded LA.IO, as a division focused on high-growth, technology-driven startups. "Louisiana Innovation is dedicated to working with startups as well as existing companies to grow Louisiana's innovation economy," Bourgeois said at the launch, Trade and Industry Development reported.

LA.IO is run by Josh Fleig, LED's chief innovation officer. His line at the launch is a good summary of the approach: "Facilitating the right connections and offering coaching to innovators and startups are just as vital as the funding."

Where the money is

LA.IO's best-known tool is capital, most of it from the federal State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), which sent Louisiana $113 million.

  • The Louisiana Growth Fund started with $50 million in federal money. It invests $250,000 to $1 million alongside other investors in Louisiana startups from seed through Series A, and it's managed by Yellow Ventures.
  • Partner seed funds. Rather than picking every company itself, LED acts as a limited partner in local funds, matching up to $5 million each. The funds include Boot64, Tulane Ventures, Ochsner Ventures, Propeller, The Idea Village's Momentum Fund and 1834, Technical.ly reported. "I'm just a catalyst," Fleig told Technical.ly. "They make the decisions."

As of its website's latest update in September 2026, LA.IO says it has $100 million deployed through active funds supporting more than 80 companies. We haven't seen an independent breakdown of those figures.

Beyond money

  • Louisiana Innovation Labs is the state's manufacturing extension center, backed by about $15 million in federal support, helping small and midsize manufacturers adopt AI, robotics and automation.
  • The Louisiana Institute for Artificial Intelligence was announced at the 2025 launch as a nonprofit for applied AI research and workforce training, with a first project to bring AI tools to 5,000 small businesses. Its web page now redirects to LA.IO's home page, and we couldn't confirm its current status.
  • Events and networking, coordinated with regional partners like The Idea Village in New Orleans and Opportunity Machine in Lafayette.

How founders actually use them

The honest answer is: it depends on your stage. A pre-revenue founder is more likely to start with a regional accelerator or an SBIR application through the technology transfer office. A company raising a seed or Series A round might talk to one of the SSBCI partner funds, or to the Growth Fund as a co-investor. A company that's hiring a lot of people in one place is the kind of project FastStart and LED's incentive team exist for.

Next week in Who Are the Players?: Greater New Orleans, Inc. Got a question you want us to ask them? Send it in.

Verify it yourself

Have you used an LED or LA.IO program for your company? Tell us what worked and what didn't. Send us a note.

Sources

  1. Louisiana Economic Development (primary source)
  2. LA.IO (Louisiana Innovation) (primary source)
  3. LA.IO: The Louisiana Growth Fund (primary source)
  4. Trade and Industry Development: Louisiana launches innovation brand, $50M growth fund, AI institute (Feb. 2025)
  5. Technical.ly: How Louisiana spends SSBCI startup money (Aug. 31, 2026)
  6. LED: FastStart (primary source)
  7. LED: Digital Interactive Media and Software Program (primary source)
  8. LED: Louisiana Technology Transfer Office (primary source)