PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Idea Village Entrepreneur Challenge 2011

The Idea Village’s entrepreneur challenge begins with the recruitment of early-stage, high-impact entrepreneurs and peaks with New Orleans Entrepreneur Week each March. The Idea Village’s core services consist of a series of interrelated programs, including the Entrepreneur Challenge, New Orleans Entrepreneur Week, IDEAcorps, Capital Village, and other Special Projects designed to support the entrepreneurial community.

The Idea Village Entrepreneur Challenge is the central entrepreneur development program. Each fall, up to 25 New Orleans entrepreneurs are invited to partner with The Idea Village’s team and professional network to identify and address key growth challenges. Entrepreneurs apply through a competitive process and selected entrepreneurs are invited to participate in an intense six month program.

The Idea Village will open applications for the 2011 Entrepreneur Challenge this summer. Recruiting activities will include opportunities to meet The Idea Village staff and network with other local entrepreneurs. Please register with The Idea Village to insure you are notified of these events and other resources to support your new venture.

The Idea Village Entrepreneur Challenge 2010

The Idea Village Entrepreneur Challenge ’10 class has twenty-one ventures that represent a diverse cross section of the New Orleans economy, including creative media, fashion, green initiatives, urban redevelopment, and health and wellness, among others. The majority of the entrepreneurs in our program are start-ups, with a handful in pre-start up phase, and several in growth mode. Visit our Class of 2010 page to get a snapshot of the entrepreneurs who just completed the program.