Tech Tailgates return to LSU with a focus on statewide cross-pollination

Louisiana’s startup hubs traditionally don’t cross paths, but Nexus Louisiana is using Louisiana State University football and the appeal of Baton Rouge on Saturdays in the fall to get those ecosystems into the same space.

Nexus, in partnership with Louisiana Innovation, on Saturday kicked off the second season of its Tech Tailgates series ahead of Louisiana State University’s (LSU) season opener against Clemson, bringing founders, investors and startup support organizations from across Louisiana together on the LSU campus.

This year, the organization is taking a new approach to its annual series by only putting on co-hosted tailgates. That appears to be gaining traction. The season opener drew about 250 RSVPs, more than twice the number compared to an event last year, according to Nexus CEO Tony Zanders. 

“I think the biggest takeaway from last year was the Tech Tailgates that we co-hosted had a much better turnout for our founders,” Zanders said. “Just that cross-pollination, and so this year, all of the ones we’re doing, we’re doing fewer, but each of them is co-hosted.”

Saturday’s event included partnerships with The Idea Village, Opportunity Machine, Gulf South Angels and Fund That Tiger. The event is part networking opportunity and part traditional football tailgate, and Nexus also added a shuttle service this year to make getting to the event easier amid LSU game-day traffic.

Zanders envisions Baton Rouge becoming a fall gathering point for Louisiana entrepreneurs, much like the capital city brings together policymakers from around the state during the legislative session.

“For us, fall for Baton Rouge is our time to bring people across the state, and we do this already with the legislative session,” Zanders said. “So in the spring, policymakers come from across the state to Baton Rouge on behalf of all their constituents. We want to do the same for founders, investors here in the state capital.”

Where community comes first

The Tech Tailgates series bets that building a stronger startup ecosystem in Louisiana may depend as much on bringing people together as it does on providing entrepreneurs with formal programs and resources.

Starting by building trust, rather than a business incentive, can go a long way, according to Andrew Albert, programs director at New Orleans-based The Idea Village.

“It’s one thing us being on Zoom or at pitch competitions,” Albert said, “but to actually build community with people is incredibly important, and I think to the extent that we can create these experiences that are more aligned with how Louisiana operates, that’s very exciting.”

For aspiring entrepreneurs, the tailgate atmosphere can also provide a less intimidating introduction to the state’s startup community, Destin Ortego, executive director of Lafayette-based Opportunity Machine, said. 

“It’s a lot about building relationships and maintaining those, and getting to know people and developing that level of trust and support for each other,” Ortego said. “Things like this, I think, kind of play to that as well.”

Events like Tech Tailgates can help connect the growing startup networks emerging in different regions of Louisiana, Cenzo Caronna, executive director of STartUP Northshore, said.

“We all believe in small business. We all believe in technology. We all believe in innovation. We all believe in Louisiana,” Caronna said. “This is the place where we can all meet, have a little bit of fun, enjoy one another, enjoy the friendship, enjoy the camaraderie, but also talk about how we can move the state forward for the better.”

From networking to new ventures

For some attendees, the informal connections made at Tech Tailgates are already translating into real business relationships.

Will Cruz, CEO and general partner of Yellow Ventures, said he met two investors at the tailgate with whom he planned to syndicate investments.

“It’s simple, it’s easy and it’s fun,” Cruz said of the event. “Who wouldn’t want to come here and at the same time you get to talk and associate and get to mingle and meet a lot of different people?”

Similar connections made during last year’s events have led people to find cofounders, financing relationships and even employees, according to Zanders.

“People are meeting their next cofounder,” Zanders said. “We’ve had people who met here that have hired each other, so job creation is taking place here.”

For Zanders, that is evidence that the experiment is working.

“Last year was our sort of pilot phase,” he said. “This year is sort of flowing, and so you’ll continue to see more innovative ways to not only bring together the startup ecosystem, but to showcase it for the rest of the world.”

The next Tech Tailgates event is scheduled for Sept. 26, when LSU plays Texas A&M.