The IDEAcorps™ Challenge 2009

A week of entrepreneurship, a lifetime of impact
March 21 – 28, 2009, New Orleans, LA

From March 21-28, 2009, The Idea Village will host 50 students from the nation’s leading MBA schools who will join forces with cutting edge professionals to solve critical challenges facing six New Orleans entrepreneurs. This high impact service program redefines New Orleans as a laboratory of innovation and entrepreneurship by connecting students and professionals to entrepreneurs in our community.

2009 IDEAcorps teams include individuals from the following Universities and Corporations:participating teams

Participating Idea Village entrepreneurs include:

  • Naked Pizza – An all-natural pizza delivery place that recently entered into an agreement with Mark Cuban, as a result of a competition that drew over 1,000 applicants nationwide. Naked Pizza is the only pizza delivery in the world that is good for you and Naked Owners and Cuban together are considering franchise models with a goal of 1,000 shops nationwide.
  • Don Kelly Productions - Producing project 30-90 on September 5, 2009, the first "green" music festival in Louisiana to be powered by alternative energy sources and with a full slate of environmentally conscious initiatives.
  • Feelgoodz - Recyclable and biodegradable flip-flops made from sustainably harvested natural rubber; secured a distribution deal with Whole Foods in the South and Southwest regions.
  • Alternative Housing Support Corporation (AHSC) - Creates, promotes and supports alternative housing models as a way to repair urban neighborhoods.
  • Sustainable Environmental Enterprises (SEE) – Provides affordable renewable energy to New Orleans residents.
  • InSite(s)-A housing market analysis firm which will develop a unique demand side methodology to estimate and characterize demand for housing.

IDEAcorps brings the brightest minds in the country to New Orleans with the short-term goal of assisting in the New Orleans rebirth and the long-term goal of forging a life-time affinity for our city among tomorrow’s future leaders. 2009 Speakers include:

  • Lieutenant Governor Mitch Landrieu
  • Bob Brown - Managing Director of New Orleans Business Council
  • Amy Cosper - Editor in Chief of Entrepreneur Magazine
  • Scott Cowen - President of Tulane University
  • John Elstrott - Executive Director of Levy-Rosenblum Institute for Entrepreneurship at Tulane University
  • Michael Hecht - Chief Eexcutive Officer of Greater New Orleans, Inc.
  • Dr. Tim Ryan - Chancellor of University of New Orleans

IDEAcorps is a program of The Idea Village, an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2000 to identify, support and retain entrepreneurial talent in New Orleans. In July 2006, The Idea Village partnered with Tulane University to form the IDEAcorps, an experiential learning program that connects leading MBA students and professionals to the business challenges facing high impact entrepreneurs in New Orleans. To date, The Idea Village has engaged 280 students from 8 universities worldwide to accelerate the growth of over 100 entrepreneurial ventures through the IDEAcorps program.

IDEAcorps Challenge ’09 Sponsors:
 sponsors
IDEAcorps Challenge ’09 Professional Supporters:
ARB, Meetings and Events; Bond PR; Computer CC; Deltree; Image Media; and Lee Celano Photography

IDEAcorps Challenge ‘09 Hosts:
Linda and Neil Baum; Margaret and Ken Beer; Sally and Alton Doody; Sally and Ron Forman; Mary and Bill Hines;
Susu and Michael Kearney; Elly and Merritt Lane; Mark Romig; and Trumpet Ventures

The Idea Village 2009 – 2011 Supporters:
supporters