Baton Rouge held its first Startup Lunch on Tuesday, June 7 at Zippy’s Burrito’s on Perkins Road. It was a casual gathering of startup founders, entrepreneurs, and business owners who enjoyed tasty mexican food while sharing their current projects and getting to know one other.
Startup meetups happen in communities around the nation, and launching one in Baton Rouge was a great first step in strengthening our startup scene. From Startup Lunches at the Hacker Dojo in the San Francisco Bay area to startup meetups in New York, it’s clear that getting together with fellow entrepreneurs is a key part in building productive relationships that can lead to future success.
Meeting new faces and hearing about other’s projects and big ideas is a great reason to attend. Manuel Valencia, who is launching 300seats this weekend, said, “Meeting entrepreneur Caroline Barry, plus hearing about the Miss Destructo tour from Victor and Amy Canada, were some of the best parts of the lunch.”
Running a startup is hard work, especially when faced with the milestones that outside funders put on a fledgling company. Omnicademy founder, Stacey Simmons, who recently was funded by the South Coast Angel Fund, said, “I loved seeing everyone and comparing challenges in a relaxed setting where we’re not pitching or competing.”
Startup Lunches are being powered by Baton Rouge’s new Regional Innovation Organization, which was created to help support the community’s efforts to build a strong entrepreneurial culture in Baton Rouge.
Ready to join the fun? The next Startup Lunch has already been scheduled. Mark your calendar for Tuesday, July 12 around 11:45, grab a ticket at startuplunch.eventbrite.com, and we’ll see you at NY Bagel on Lee Drive in Baton Rouge.
To stay notified of these and other events around Baton Rouge and south Louisiana, remember to read Silicon Bayou News. Plus you can sign up here to get on a Baton Rouge startup mailing list currently curated by Wendy Overton.