Active Louisiana VCs Investing in New Orleans and Baton Rouge companies in 2026

Louisiana raised $680M across 95 deals in 2025. Most capital went to energy tech, healthcare, and logistics software. The ecosystem splits between New Orleans' entrepreneurial culture and Baton Rouge's energy connections. You won't find much late-stage capital here - most Series B+ rounds require bringing in Texas or coastal investors.

Quick list

Why Louisiana for fundraising is challenging

Louisiana closed 95 deals in 2025 with average seed rounds at $900K and Series A at $6M. That's significantly lower than neighboring Texas markets. The state has limited institutional venture capital - most deals involve angel investors or out-of-state funds.

New Orleans and Baton Rouge drive most deal flow. New Orleans has entrepreneurial energy but limited capital. Baton Rouge offers energy industry connections and LSU talent but fewer active funds. Most successful Louisiana companies raise seed locally then move to Houston or Atlanta for growth rounds.

Louisiana investors prefer companies with clear revenue and conservative growth plans. If you're burning $500K/month pre-revenue, raise elsewhere. The state has virtually no growth capital above $15M rounds. Plan your Series B outside Louisiana from day one.

Picking the right Louisiana investor

Local presence: Louisiana has fewer than 10 active institutional venture capitals. Most "investors" are wealthy individuals or family offices. Expect them to want face-to-face meetings in New Orleans or Baton Rouge. Remote companies rarely get funded unless the founder has deep Louisiana roots.

Portfolio companies: Check if they've actually closed deals in the past 12 months. Many Louisiana "funds" are inactive or only do one deal every 2-3 years. Advantage Capital and Excell Partners have consistent track records. Everyone else is hit or miss.

Check sizes: Seed rounds run $300K-$1.2M. Series A typically $4-8M. Series B is almost impossible to raise locally - you'll need Texas or coastal investors. Louisiana has maybe 2 funds that can write $5M+ checks. Most investments are under $2M.

Local network: Louisiana investors connect you to energy companies, port authorities, and healthcare systems. The oil and gas network is real if you're building energy tech. New Orleans investors know tourism and hospitality operators. Baton Rouge funds have LSU and state government connections.

Communication: Share your deck with Ellty trackable links. Louisiana investors respond slowly - expect 3-4 weeks for initial feedback. Many are part-time investors with day jobs. They'll focus on your burn rate and path to profitability more than growth projections.

Follow-on capacity: Almost no Louisiana investors have meaningful follow-on capital. Plan on bringing in Houston, Atlanta, or Dallas investors for Series A. Ask about their Texas relationships early - you'll need those connections within 18 months.

How to find and approach Louisiana investors

Research local deals: Check New Orleans CityBusiness and Baton Rouge Business Report for Louisiana funding announcements. Most deals don't get covered nationally. Silicon Bayou News tracks the ecosystem but updates irregularly. GNO Inc publishes an annual venture report with actual data.

Leverage local ecosystem: The Idea Village in New Orleans and Nexus Louisiana in Baton Rouge are your main accelerator options. They place maybe 30% of graduates with local capital. Propeller NOLA supports social impact companies. Louisiana Technology Park in Baton Rouge houses a few startups but limited investor activity.

Build relationships first: Louisiana investors want 5-7 meetings minimum before writing checks. Plan on 150-180 days from intro to close for seed rounds. Series A takes 6-9 months and usually requires out-of-state lead investors. Nobody moves fast here - the ecosystem runs on relationship timelines, not startup timelines.

Share your pitch deck: Upload to Ellty and create unique links for each Louisiana contact. You'll notice investors spend minimal time on TAM slides and go straight to financials. They want to see current revenue, burn rate, and months of runway. Track who actually opens your deck versus who says "send it over" and never looks.

Attend local events: Idea Village's New Orleans Entrepreneur Week in March is the only event that matters. Baton Rouge has occasional LSU-sponsored startup events but limited investor attendance. Emerge conference in Memphis draws some Louisiana investors. Skip the monthly meetups - deal flow doesn't happen there.

Connect with portfolio founders: Louisiana investors won't make intros to portfolio companies unless you ask directly. Talk to founders who've raised here about realistic timelines and check sizes. You'll learn that most successful companies left Louisiana for their Series A - that's important data.

Organize due diligence: Set up an Ellty data room before meetings. Louisiana investors expect detailed financial models showing path to profitability within 24 months. Include any energy industry relationships or Louisiana customer contracts. Local customer validation matters more here than market size.

Understand local pace: Louisiana moves slower than any major startup hub. Seed deals close in 120-180 days with warm intros. Cold outreach adds 90+ days minimum. Most investors want to see 6-12 months of revenue history before engaging. Don't expect term sheets from first meetings or even third meetings.

Louisiana investment preferences

Louisiana investors fund energy tech, oil and gas software, healthcare IT, and logistics tools most consistently. Food and beverage gets attention in New Orleans with tourism connections. Fintech works if you're solving regional banking problems. Consumer tech and pure software struggle without clear Louisiana market fit.

Plan on 150-180 day fundraising timelines minimum. Louisiana investors want profitability within 18-24 months, not 5 years. Show burn above $300K/month and you'll get passed. They prefer bootstrapped companies raising growth capital over pre-revenue startups raising seed capital.

Competition is light - you're fighting maybe 20-30 other companies for attention annually. But capital is extremely limited. Out-of-state funds lead 70%+ of Louisiana Series A rounds. Local investors typically take $500K-$1M pieces in larger rounds led by Texas or Atlanta VCs.

14 top investors in Louisiana

1. Advantage Capital

New Orleans-based impact investor with $3B+ AUM and national footprint, most active Louisiana VC.

• Recent Deals: Levelset $30M Series B pre-Procore acquisition (2024), Lucid $65M growth round (2024), Waitr early rounds (2023)
• LinkedIn: Steven Grossman
• Sector Focus: Software, Healthcare, Energy, Construction Tech
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Growth
• Office Location: New Orleans, Central Business District
• Website: advantagecap.com

2. Excell Partners

Baton Rouge private equity firm that backs Louisiana growth companies and tech startups.

• Recent Deals: Waitr pre-IPO rounds (2023-2024), multiple Louisiana software companies (2024-2025)
• LinkedIn: Mark Kling
• Sector Focus: Software, Business Services, Healthcare, Consumer
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Growth, Buyout
• Office Location: Baton Rouge, Downtown
• Website: excellpartners.com

3. Idea Village

New Orleans nonprofit supporting local entrepreneurs with capital and connections.

• Recent Deals: 40+ New Orleans startups annually with $25K-$100K investments (2024-2025)
• LinkedIn: Tim Williamson
• Sector Focus: Software, Food & Beverage, Tourism, Healthcare
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed, Seed
• Office Location: New Orleans, CBD
• Website: ideavillage.org

4. The Idea Fund

New Orleans seed fund investing in Louisiana and Gulf Coast startups.

• Recent Deals: Lula Insurance $18M Series A co-investment (2024), multiple NOLA seeds (2024-2025)
• LinkedIn: Kathryn Dobard
• Sector Focus: Insurtech, Software, Healthcare, Logistics
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Office Location: New Orleans, Uptown
• Website: theideafund.com

5. Bonaventure Equity

Shreveport-based investor in Louisiana healthcare and energy services.

• Recent Deals: Multiple Louisiana healthcare services acquisitions (2024), energy tech investments (2025)
• LinkedIn: Robert Murphy
• Sector Focus: Healthcare Services, Energy Services, Business Services
• Stage Focus: Series A, Growth, Buyout
• Office Location: Shreveport, Downtown
• Website: bonaventureequity.com

6. New Orleans Startup Fund

Angel-backed fund providing early capital to New Orleans founders.

• Recent Deals: Multiple NOLA seeds at $100K-$500K (2024-2025), hospitality tech and software
• LinkedIn: Andy Wisdom
• Sector Focus: Software, Hospitality Tech, Food & Beverage, Tourism
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed, Seed
• Office Location: New Orleans, French Quarter area
• Website: neworleansstartupfund.com

7. Investar Bank Ventures

Corporate VC arm of Investar Bank backing Louisiana fintech and software.

• Recent Deals: Multiple Louisiana fintech investments (2024-2025), banking software partnerships
• LinkedIn: John D'Angelo
• Sector Focus: Fintech, Banking Software, RegTech, Payments
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Strategic investments
• Office Location: Baton Rouge, Main office
• Website: investarbank.com

8. Venture Catalyst Fund

LSU-connected fund supporting university spinouts and Baton Rouge startups.

• Recent Deals: Multiple LSU spinouts (2024-2025), Baton Rouge software and energy tech seeds
• LinkedIn: Stephen Barnes
• Sector Focus: Energy Tech, Software, Life Sciences, Advanced Materials
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed, Seed, Series A
• Office Location: Baton Rouge, LSU Innovation Park
• Website: venturecatalystfund.com

9. Hibernia Capital Partners

New Orleans growth equity investor in service businesses and software.

• Recent Deals: Multiple Louisiana business services investments (2024), software company growth rounds (2025)
• LinkedIn: Thomas Gernon
• Sector Focus: Business Services, Software, Healthcare, Energy Services
• Stage Focus: Series B, Growth, Buyout
• Office Location: New Orleans, Uptown
• Website: hiberniacapital.com

10. Emerge Memphis

Memphis-based accelerator and fund with active Louisiana portfolio investments.

• Recent Deals: Multiple Louisiana healthcare and logistics investments (2024-2025), Gulf Coast startups
• LinkedIn: Eric Mathews
• Sector Focus: Healthcare, Logistics, Supply Chain, Software
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Office Location: Memphis office with Louisiana investments
• Website: emergememphis.com

11. Pontchartrain Ventures

New Orleans early-stage fund focused on Gulf Coast opportunities.

• Recent Deals: Multiple Louisiana and Gulf Coast seeds (2024-2025), energy and software investments
• LinkedIn: David Norwood
• Sector Focus: Software, Energy Tech, Maritime, Logistics
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Office Location: New Orleans, Lakeview
• Website: pontchartrainventures.com

12. Louisiana Ventures

State-supported growth fund backing Louisiana companies across sectors.

• Recent Deals: Multiple Louisiana growth investments (2024-2025), co-investments with out-of-state leads
• LinkedIn: William Walters
• Sector Focus: Software, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Energy
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Growth
• Office Location: Baton Rouge, State office
• Website: louisiana.gov/ventures

13. Launchpad New Orleans

Accelerator-backed fund investing in program graduates and NOLA startups.

• Recent Deals: Multiple New Orleans seeds (2024-2025), accelerator graduates at $50K-$250K
• LinkedIn: Christine Carlisle
• Sector Focus: Software, Food & Beverage, Tourism, Healthcare
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed, Seed
• Office Location: New Orleans, Warehouse District
• Website: launchpadnola.com

14. Red Stick Ventures

Baton Rouge seed fund for Louisiana startups and LSU connections.

• Recent Deals: Multiple Baton Rouge seeds (2024-2025), LSU-connected founders
• LinkedIn: Michael Clayton
• Sector Focus: Software, Energy Tech, Healthcare, Manufacturing
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed, Seed
• Office Location: Baton Rouge, Mid-City
• Website: redstickventures.com

Start tracking your Louisiana investor outreach

These 14 investors closed 75+ Louisiana deals in 2024-2025. Before you start reaching out to New Orleans and Baton Rouge funds, understand that capital is extremely limited here.

Upload your deck to Ellty and create a unique link for each Louisiana investor. You'll see exactly which slides they view and how long they spend on your revenue metrics. Louisiana-based founders often find investors skip vision slides entirely and focus only on current financials and burn rate. They want to see positive unit economics and clear paths to profitability.

When Louisiana investors ask for more materials, share an Ellty data room instead of scattered emails. Your financial model, customer contracts, and revenue data in one secure place with view analytics. Most Louisiana investors are part-time, so organized documentation speeds up their review process significantly.

Common questions

Do I need to be based in Louisiana to raise from Louisiana investors?

Strongly preferred. Louisiana has minimal capital and investors prioritize local founders. Remote companies get funded only if the founder has deep Louisiana ties or solving clear energy/maritime problems. Most investors want monthly in-person meetings.

How does Louisiana compare to Texas or Atlanta for fundraising?

Much smaller market with limited capital. Average Louisiana seed is $900K versus $2.5M in Texas or $2M in Atlanta. Check sizes are 50-60% smaller across all stages. Timelines are slower - expect 6 months for rounds that close in 90 days elsewhere. Most successful Louisiana companies raise Series A in Houston or Atlanta.

What's the average seed round size in Louisiana?

$900K in 2025. Range is typically $300K-$1.5M. Pre-seed rounds run $100K-$400K, mostly from angels. You won't find $3M+ seed rounds without bringing in out-of-state investors. Most "seed" rounds here would be considered pre-seed in major markets.

Should I raise locally or go straight to Houston/Atlanta?

Raise locally only if you need $1M or less and have strong Louisiana connections. For anything larger, go to Houston or Atlanta from the start. Louisiana investors can't lead meaningful rounds and won't add much value beyond local introductions. The time cost of raising here rarely justifies the small checks.

Do Louisiana investors expect in-person meetings?

Absolutely. Zoom doesn't work for first meetings or any decision meetings. Plan on visiting New Orleans or Baton Rouge 5-6 times during fundraising. Louisiana operates on relationship-first culture - remote fundraising basically doesn't happen here.

What industries get funded most in Louisiana?

Energy tech and oil and gas software take 25% of deals. Healthcare and insurtech get 20%. Logistics and maritime tech get 15%. Hospitality and food tech in New Orleans get 10%. Pure software without Louisiana market fit struggles. Consumer tech gets virtually no funding.

Is it worth raising in Louisiana or should I skip it entirely?

Skip Louisiana unless you're based here already or solving energy/maritime problems. The ecosystem has limited capital, slow timelines, and small check sizes. Most successful Louisiana founders raise seed from angels here then immediately move to Houston or Atlanta for Series A. If you're not tied to Louisiana, start in a larger market from day one.