The Silicon Bayou has been buzzing with tech and entrepreneurial news. Here are the most popular stories published on Silicon Bayou News in the past seven days:
Apprenticeship Program for Software Development Stimulates Student Learning in New Orleans
Eight out of 10 software developers are white and 80% of low income students drop out of college within the first year. So what do the two have in common? Both are stats that Operation: Spark founder John Fraboni, who thinks the education pipeline for the at-risk, impoverished youth demographic in New Orleans is broken, hopes to change through his new apprenticeship program for aspiring developers. Spark helps participants become self sufficient by taking an autodidactic approach to higher education and problem solving.
The Idea Village Kicks Off 2015 Entrepreneur Season, Launches New Website
The Idea Village has been working for over 10 years to identify, support, and retain entrepreneurial talent in New Orleans. The organization is host to the city’s Entrepreneur Season, which includes workshops, accelerator programs, networking events and cumulates with New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW) each spring. The season officially kicked off yesterday on July 28. As The Idea Village and its network prepare for the 7th annual NOEW, scheduled March 20-27, 2015, the hub for entrepreneurs also unveiled a newly enhanced website.
Propeller’s Social Venture Accelerator Offers Expanded Support to New Orleans Entrepreneurs
Propeller: A Force for Social Innovation is gearing up for its fourth Social Venture Accelerator, a 10-month program that connects early-stage social entrepreneurs with valuable resources and connections to achieve their social impact goals, systemic change and financial sustainability. Accelerator fellows will get a chance to work with Lead Consultant and entrepreneurial development firm Trepwise founder Kevin Wilkins. Participants will also benefit from mentorship provided by successful entrepreneurs, including Mike Eckert, founder and former CEO of The Weather Channel, and John Elstrott, Chairman of Whole Foods Market.
Tiger Tech: LSU Welcomes First Hackathon
GeauxHack is the first-ever hackathon at Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge. The 24 hour creative coding marathon is scheduled for August 30-31, 2014, and registration is now open. Major League Hacking (MLH), which powers the official student hackathon league, is also helping the team on the ground at LSU with GeauxHack, and the competition will play by their rules. All currently enrolled college or university students are eligible to compete and some high school students as well on a case-by-case basis. GeauxHack is the first MLH sanctioned hackathon to take place in Louisiana.
First National Apparel Brand Makes Move from Los Angeles to New Orleans
Nymfete is a national contemporary womenswear line that up until recently was partially located in California, while founder and New Orleanian commuted between two cities. While the creative and business headquarters has always been in New Orleans, the company made a major shift and is in the process of moving all product development operations to New Orleans. With its current team–comprised of a few pattern makers, seamstresses and fabric printers– is set up in the shared workspace Beta downtown, Nymfete has already collaborated with several local high-profile organizations and is looking to expand the team in preparation for their spring line.
NOLAstartups.com: A Simple Resource
Local entrepreneur Max Gaudin launched NOLAStartups.com because he realized there was a need for a basic site that gives a breakdown of what’s going on in our startup community. The site includes a list of meetings, a calendar of events, a list of accelerators, incubators and coworking spaces, groups that can provide funding, big events, and a glossary outlining some startup terms. For more information, visit NOLAstartups.com.
Legal Corner: Non-Compete Agreements
Legal Corner, a recurring column in Silicon Bayou News, features a discussion of legal issues relevant to entrepreneurs and start-ups. Legal Corner is authored and edited by Michael Balascio and Michelle Rutherford, associates at the New Orleans-based law firm Barrasso Usdin Kupperman Freeman & Sarver, L.L.C. Michael and Michelle have significant experience advising small companies and start-ups with strategic and legal decisions. They are both licensed to practice law in Louisiana – with Michael also licensed in Massachusetts and New York, and Michelle in California. Visit barrassousdin.com for more about their background and experience.
Regulatory Round-Up on Cybersecurity
This post originally appeared on TradeSecretInsider.com. Author Katharine Musso is a partner in Jones Walker’s Banking & Financial Services Practice Group and is head of the firm’s Birmingham office. She has over 25 years of experience representing banks and financial institutions before state and federal regulators, and regularly advises clients on compliance issues relating to risk management. She is a Certified Fraud Examiner and a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist.