The 2018 Silicon Bayou 100 is the annual list of the 100 most influential and active people in tech and entrepreneurship in Louisiana over the last year. The list is compiled by the community through an anonymous nomination process.
Over the next week we will be sharing the bios of each of the 100 in alphabetical order. View the full Silicon Bayou 100 here and meet group 3 below.
Chris Reade
After founding Carrollton Technology Partners back in 1995 in New York City, Chris moved the company to New Orleans in 2000 and has been president ever since. In January 2014, he became president and CEO of LookFar, a software development studio that partners with both startups and established businesses to help them prioritize their goals and build custom software. On LinkedIn.
Chris Schultz
Chris co-founded and is CEO Launch Pad, and also founded Voodoo Ventures, Flatstack, and TribeCon. Although he moved to San Francisco in 2015, Chris still has deep roots in the New Orleans entrepreneurial scene. He was instrumental in working to bring Collision Conference to the city in 2016 for a three year deal that culminated in 2018, and is constantly working on expanding the Launch Pad brand. On LinkedIn. On Twitter.
Cian Robinson
Cian is the Executive Director of the Lafayette General Foundation. He is responsible for the strategy, growth, development and operational functions of the organization, which has invited more than $1.75 million in Louisiana healthcare startups through its Healthcare Innovation Fund (HIF). He serves on the Board of Innov8 Acadiana and has been an annual panelist/speaker at the New Orleans Bio Innovation Center. On LinkedIn.
Cleveland Spears
Cleveland is the President and CEO of New Orleans-based communications for The Spears Group. He works with organizations big and small to help clients connect to their audiences. Notable clients include Entergy, the Urban League of Greater New Orleans, and Ochsner. On LinkedIn.
Collin Ferguson
Collin is the other half of the Where Y’art team. As founder and CEO, she helps the startup continue to build its platform that curates an online gallery where you can meet over 100 New Orleans artists — from painters to sculptors, craftsmen and jewelry designers — discover their passions and learn their stories. The company just celebrated its five year anniversary. On LinkedIn.
Courtney Williams
Courtney moved his edtech company Torsh to New Orleans in 2015 and went on to compete in the Coulter IDEApitch at New Orleans Entrepreneur Week in 2016, making a splash in the local entrepreneurial community. The startup is an educational software company that provides a video observation platform used for teacher development. On Twitter. On LinkedIn.
David Bode
David is the director of the Commercialization Team at the New Orleans BioInnovation Center where he provides business assistance to life science and biotechnology companies in the area. He also focuses on educational programming around entrepreneurship. In his spare time, David is a saxophonist and composer that regularly plays with local bands and orchestras.
David Ray Smith
David is the Executive Director of Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program, a division of BRF (formerly Biomedical Research Foundation of Northwest Louisiana). The program nurtures and educates entrepreneurs while introducing them to qualified investors to increase their chances of success. The EAP portfolio currently has a few dozen companies across industries such as medical, security, and entertainment. On LinkedIn.
Doug Walner
In 2017, Doug joined five-year old tech company Align Today as CEO. The company provides cloud-based business planning software. He has helped the company grow from one employee to 16 based in New Orleans. Doug is a serial entrepreneur, mentor, and a former Entrepreneur-In-Residence at The Idea Village. On LinkedIn.
Emily Egan
In 2018, Emily made the switch from her role as director of entrepreneur services at The Idea Village to her new position as director of strategic initiatives at Tulane’s Lepage Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She was instrumental in designing the accelerator programs for The Idea Village, and now will also focus on New Orleans Entrepreneur Week next month as Tulane is the festival’s newest partner. On LinkedIn.
