NEW ORLEANS (PRWEB) May 04, 2022
City of New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell announced a $100,000 contest at last month’s New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW). Known as “The Mayor’s Web3 Challenge,” the pledge is a partnership between the City of New Orleans and non-profit accelerator The Idea Village, annual producer of NOEW. The well-funded contest is intended to produce the best local ideas for utilizing Web3 technology so that New Orleans’ place as a hub for culture tech businesses will be further realized.
The competition will ask the city’s creative community to build on-ramps for artists and infrastructure for culture, community and creativity using the new technologies enabled by Web3, the next wave of the internet enabled by blockchain technology, and to create new pathways to tap into the Web3 movement. The winner of the Web3 challenge will receive $100,000 in non-dilutive seed investment from The Idea Village which is funded by the City of New Orleans.
“Web3 technology allows professionals and community organizers to more efficiently monetize and retain the value of their work,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “Because we’re known around the world for our creativity and community building, Web3 and the new era of the internet present a huge opportunity for New Orleans, our world-renowned culture bearers and our cultural economy” she said.
New Orleans’ focus on Web3 technology mirrors that of New York City and Miami. Additional details on The Mayor’s Web3 Challenge will be announced soon. For updates, please visit https://www.ideavillage.org/ and sign-up for The Idea Village’s newsletter.
“New Orleans has been one of the leading places in the world for the creation of culture for generations. It is also a place with a deeply rooted sense of community that truly understands the power of intentional and sustainable community building. Why can’t we also own the channels that bring these innovations to market in new digital ways?” asked Jon Atkinson, CEO of The Idea Village. “Web3 is reshaping the relationship between creators of culture and consumers of culture which will create new generational opportunities where New Orleans and New Orleanians can lead. We are honored to support the Mayor’s vision to make New Orleans a Web3 city,” he said.
“New Orleans and her people are our greatest strength,” said Mayor Cantrell. “Our beautiful, diverse melting pot of a city can only reach its full potential if everyone is at the table. In order to be a true entrepreneurial powerhouse, we need the whole community engaged and growing alongside the economy of tomorrow.”
About The Idea Village
The Idea Village's core belief is that entrepreneurship is an agent of social and economic change. As an early champion of entrepreneurship in New Orleans, the organization has played an integral role in catalyzing the city's entrepreneurial movement. In addition to supporting over 14,955 entrepreneurs, The Idea Village has successfully elevated New Orleans' reputation as a hub of innovation, entrepreneurship, and business. By serving as a catalyst and developing programs that provide direct support and education to founders and early-stage companies, The Idea Village helps entrepreneurs build innovative and industry-leading companies that generate revenue and jobs and help create a more vibrant, inclusive and resilient local economy. http://www.ideavillage.org