Tech industry blooms in the Bayou State

Down in the Bayou State, entrepreneurs are leading the way in a field that most would associate with Silicon Valley – new technology.

In New Orleans alone, dozens of small technology companies have set up shop, creating good-paying jobs and revitalizing the local economy. Even more impressive is the vast diversity in what each entrepreneur is working on.

We’re also seeing small businesses adapt to the needs of our state’s energy industries. In terms of creating jobs and supplying the oil and gas that we use every day, offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico provides a lot for families and businesses across the state, and one of the key issues facing the crews on those rigs is access to clean and safe potable water.

I certainly understand that every business starts with someone who has an idea and is willing to put in the hard work and take risks in order to turn their dream into reality. In order for Louisiana to continue revolutionizing the tech industry, there needs to be less bureaucracy and fewer regulatory obstacles.

That’s why, as chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I’ve been working to make sure small businesses and inventors have the resources they need to invent and innovate. So far, I’ve introduced and passed dozens of common sense pieces of legislation, including a bill that would permanently reauthorize the successful Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. With the support of the Louisiana Economic Development (LED) and Louisiana Technology Transfer Office, LSU, my legislation will help small businesses partner with federal agencies to meet research and development goals in the technology sector.

While small businesses are more easily able to adapt to market changes and drive the innovation sector of the economy, it is often very difficult for smaller firms and entrepreneurs to find funding for their new ideas, especially in the critical early stages of research and development.

The future of innovation and entrepreneurship lies within these start-ups, and many of our Louisiana small businesses have achieved recognition for their hard work and dedication on a national level, which is something every Louisianian can be proud of. What we need to focus on is continuing to support small business growth and technology development, and I will certainly do all that I can in the U.S. Senate to make sure Louisiana entrepreneurs have the resources they continue to pioneer technology innovation. •