Introducing the Entre-pioneers of the “New” New Orleans

Last month, I was frequenting the business district of Portland, Oregon where many were lamenting the loss of CubeSpace – an entrepreneurial community office for Portland’s hippest business minds. The economy and a number of other factors put the kabash on David Kominsky and Eva Schweber’s three year endeavor (you can read the eulogy here), but fortunately, Portland is only one scene. For years, it is a city that has been touted as the place to be if you’re young and full of ideas, but Idea Village’s unveiling of their Entergy Innovation Center last Wednesday might just prove that the secret to success actually lies in the unlikely town of New Orleans.

In the March 2009 edition of Forbes magazine, New Orleans was ranked number 8 on the list of “Top Ten Cities Where Americans are Relocating” but Idea Village co-founders Tim Williamson, Allen Bell and their staff were already ahead of the game. Since 2002, they have aligned their non-profit organization with the mission to identify, support, and retain entrepreneurial talent in New Orleans. They abide by the claim “Trust Your Crazy Ideas” and through grants, diverse talents, and innovative workspace, they are chipping away at the revitalization of their beloved city – a bold task in a place where even the levees cannot easily stop the brain drain.

They are not alone either. There are at least three other entrepreneurial hubs sprinkled throughout the 17 major recovery zones within the city, sporting names like Entrepreneur’s Row and the Icehouse, and there is a strong potential for more to grow. “Clusters are a validation that entrepreneurs can create economic and social change,” Williamson told the Times-Picayune. Idea Village has also piloted a partnership program with Tulane Univeristy called IDEAcorps – featured in the video – which is aimed at engaging university students in the re-building of New Orleans.

“We were a growing branding firm that had become an Ellis Island for startups, so after Katrina we secured a location where we could effectively apply resources for these baby companies and create jobs and service the community,” Trumpet Advertising President Robbie Vitrano said of his decision to move his advertising firm to New Orleans. He would later found the Icehouse entrepreneurial hub in addition to supporting his advertising company.

As a general rule, the mindset of most that choose to offer their skills in a challenging community environment is much larger than whatever they are managing in front of their computer screens. Showing up for work rarely becomes a chore when you can look out your window and immediately see the need.

• Idea Village is an organization founded with the mission to identify, support, and retain entrepreneurial talent in New Orleans by providing business resources to high impact ventures
• Organization Type: Non-Profit
• Website: www.ideavillage.org
• Founder(s): Tim Williamson and Allen Bell
• Founded: 2002
• Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
• See complete company list here