Connecting these groups with national and regional venture capitalists, IP professionals and other industry organizations will ensure they are working with the best resources available as they solve the health and economic challenges that face Louisiana.
New Orleans, LA (PRWEB) November 01, 2016
New Orleans BioInnovation Center, a leading statewide science and technology innovation incubator, today announced its fourth annual Innovation Louisiana 2016 events. The three-day summit includes prominent biotech keynote addresses and panel sessions, as well as the marquee event, the BioChallenge Competition, a free pitch competition showcasing four Louisiana-based health and biotech startups. The summit’s mission is to connect the innovators emerging from the state with researchers and industry experts nationwide in order to develop breakthrough technologies that will revolutionize healthcare in Louisiana and around the world.
“At The Michael J. Fox Foundation, we proactively seek out new research and approaches to benefit people with Parkinson’s disease everywhere – and we’re seeing many of these innovations come out of the Gulf Coast,” said Rachel Rimsky, associate director of research partnerships and keynote speaker. “I’m honored to speak at the conference and connect the state’s entrepreneurs with our national research community, ultimately providing them with the resources they need to positively impact the healthcare industry.”
Louisiana ranks last in the nation on numerous health indicators, but a growing entrepreneurial movement in the state is actively working to improve care and develop new disease treatments. The BioChallenge Pitch Competition helps accelerate this process by bringing attention to the innovation being done in the state and connecting these entrepreneurs with mentors and investors. The competition features four Louisiana startups that will pitch their companies to a panel of national investors and industry experts and compete for over $50,000 in cash and investment prizes. The finalists are:
- Carre BioDiagnostics (New Orleans) aims to diagnose cardiovascular disease in chronic kidney disease patients to intervene earlier and prevent heart attacks.
- Chosen Diagnostics (New Orleans) is improving healthcare delivery for patients by personalizing their treatment, beginning with a test to diagnose a life-threatening gastrointestinal disease in preterm infants.
- Grapheno (Shreveport) develops innovative graphene solutions, which protect sensitive electronics from harmful and unnecessary electromagnetic radiation.
- Segue Therapeutics (Shreveport) has uncovered possible new treatments for pancreatic cancer by focusing on repurposed drugs, or the application of approved drugs to new disease indications.
“With over $650 million invested into research and development at the state’s academic institutions each year, we’re committed to bringing entrepreneurs and university researchers together to one single event. Connecting these groups with national and regional venture capitalists, IP professionals and other industry organizations will ensure they are working with the best resources available as they solve the health and economic challenges that face Louisiana,” says Aaron Miscenich, president of the New Orleans BioInnovation Center. “Innovation Louisiana 2016 does this by showcasing both Louisiana’s advanced research as well as its startups in one place, helping to create new collaborations and develop technologies more quickly to impact patients and the healthcare system.”
In addition, the summit includes a public showcase of pioneering university research in health, engineering and more from nine institutions across the state. Sponsors for Innovation Louisiana 2016 include JPMorgan Chase & Co., the U.S. Economic Development Administration, Baker Donelson and The Conafay Group.
For more information on the BioInnovation Center and to register for the Innovation Louisiana Conference, click here. To register for the free Louisiana University Technology Showcase and BioChallenge Pitch Competition, click here. For live updates on all the action, follow @NewOrleansBio, #InnovationLA and #BioChallenge
About the New Orleans BioInnovation Center
Opened in 2011, the New Orleans BioInnovation Center is a not-for-profit business incubator that fosters entrepreneurship and supports life sciences technology innovation across Louisiana. The Center offers office and lab space, educational events, business consulting, and the BioFund capital program to emerging startups as they work to bring new technologies to market. From cancer treatment to water management, these startups include diagnostic tools, drugs, medical devices, health IT platforms and clean technologies with great promise for addressing a wide range of medical and environmental problems. The Center’s programs have supported more than 125 new Louisiana companies that have created over 350 jobs. Learn more at http://www.neworleansbio.com and follow us on Twitter @NewOrleansBio.
