Be resourceful

LED Small Business Services: From entrepreneurial startups to small businesses looking to expand and grow, LED Small Business Services offers a comprehensive array of programs and resources that build capacity, cultivate opportunities, and accelerate growth.

For more information, visit https://www.opportunitylouisiana.com/small-business/special-programs-for-small-business

From its roots as a traditional chamber of commerce, the Baton Rouge Area Chamber – or BRAC – transformed 10 years ago to become an organization that today leads economic development for the nine-parish Baton Rouge Area of Ascension, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana parishes.

As a regional organization, BRAC works collaboratively with parish economic development partners throughout the region to grow jobs and wealth in the area. This sense of regionalism and partnership is critical to BRAC’s work. BRAC works with the City-Parish of East Baton Rouge to support business development for the parish and maintain strong cooperation between its urban center and the region. At the state level, BRAC works with Louisiana Economic Development, the agency responsible for strengthening the state’s business environment.

Today, more than 1,500 businesses and organizations invest in BRAC as members and funders of its mission. Some companies – ranging in size from small to large – fund BRAC’s economic development activities through five-year commitments in support of a long-range strategic plan that guides the organization’s work. BRAC’s five-year strategic plan was created by its investors, who identified four major goals for the organization to pursue.

For more information, visit https://www.brac.org

LSU Innovation Park provides companies and entrepreneurs with a broader avenue for intellectual enrichment and technological discovery by partnering scientific investigation and business enterprise under one umbrella.

As the state’s flagship university, research is a cornerstone of LSU. The university began planning a dedicated complex for research commercialization in 2005 to further its commitment to innovation. Located just five miles south of the main campus, the LSU Innovation Park is the epicenter for technology innovation and startup ventures in the Baton Rouge region. By helping researchers bring new technology to market, the LSU Innovation Park creates high-quality jobs, benefits the community and enhances the image of Louisiana.

The Louisiana Business & Technology Center (LBTC), LSU’s 30-year old, award winning business incubator, was established to assist entrepreneurs, small businesses and innovators develop business ideas into successful businesses. To fulfill its job creation mission, the LBTC has expanded to include the LSU Student Incubator, The LSU Ag Center Food Incubator, The Pennington BioTech Initiative and the flagship LBTC located at the LSU Innovation Park. This LSU incubator network provides outside counseling to over 300 Louisiana businesses annually. The LBTC also offers prototyping services and access to the federal labs though its office at the NASA Stennis Space Center.

For more information, visit https://www.lsu.edu/innovationpark

The LSU AgCenter Food Innovation Institute, FOODii: The LSU AgCenter Food Incubator is a business incubator that specializes in developing emerging food ventures and providing technical services to existing and emerging companies. The incubator assists companies survive and grow during the startup period by providing clients with business support, services and resources. Tenants with the LSU AgCenter Food Incubator also have access to scientists and services within the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences.

For more information, visit http://www.lsuagcenter.com/portals/our_offices/departments/food-science/extension_outreach/incubator

Nexus Louisiana’s mission is to accelerate the growth of high-potential technology-enabled companies by providing them with coaching, capital and connections. Our programs leverage regional collaboration to foster mentorship, investment, and opportunity for local entrepreneurs to grow their ideas and transform the technology industry in Louisiana.

For more information, visit http://nexusla.org

Innovation Catalyst is a nonprofit venture development organization, formed by community leaders to strengthen and broaden Louisiana’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and drive new high-tech company formation through education, connections, and capital. Our company is committed to creating a small-business owners culture by investing in local entrepreneurs and catalyze a change for business ownership in Baton Rouge and the surrounding areas.

We collaborate with existing resources throughout the state to identify, engage, educate, and connect Louisiana entrepreneurs to the right resources to accelerate their business.

Innovation Catalyst is laying a solid foundation for Louisiana’s future economy through The Catalyst Fund, NexusLA, Entrepreneurial Education, and Women and Minority Support.

For more information, visit https://www.innovationcatalyst.us

Have you ever thought about starting a business? The library has a variety of free tools that can turn your idea into something solid. For established businesses, we can help you find new customers. Get in touch and arrange a consultation with a business librarian to see what the library can do for you. This service is free. To access the online resources on this guide, you will need a library card.

Staff can come out and meet with you and customize what we have to match your unique needs.

To set up a consultation or ask a question email: smallbusiness@ebrpl.com or call 225-231-3750.

For more information, visit https://ebrpl.libguides.com/smallbusiness