“Pedal-to-the-Metal” StartupBus Rolls into New Orleans as part of International Competition

Press Release (ePRNews.com) - NEW ORLEANS - Jul 27, 2017 - Starting July 31st, the StartupBus 2017’s international competition, an intensive three-day challenge for business and internet entrepreneurs that Wired magazine called, “a pedal-to-the-metal business incubator,” will launch from New York, San Francisco, Tampa, Akron (Ohio), St. Louis, New Orleans, and Mexico City, all traveling to the Crescent City for a grand finale pitch competition.

The decked-out New Orleans bus will leave the Big Easy on July 31st at 9:00 AM with destinations of Pensacola, Birmingham, Memphis, Little Rock, and Jackson, before returning to New Orleans on August 2nd for a big two-day competition at Landing Zone in the Lower Garden District.

For this year’s competition, seven buses are leaving from “tech hubs” across the United States and Mexico, including New York, San Francisco, Tampa, Akron (Ohio), St. Louis, New Orleans, and Mexico City. Approximately 200 entrepreneurs on 25+ teams in all are expected to compete for potential funding.

The New Orleans bus, organized by local entrepreneurs and StartupBus alumni Alyson Kilday and Max Gaudin, will be traveling through regional hubs across six southern states on a round trip starting and ending in New Orleans. The buses will be loaded with the region’s most ambitious developers, marketers, and designers riding over 72 hours while participating in part hackathon, part road trip.

StartupBus made its debut in Louisiana in 2012 when Kilday and Gaudin both rode.

“With StartupBus, what seemed like a novelty at first quickly became a deep dive into the startup world. I gleaned a significant amount of start-up know-how while making several lifelong business connections,” said Gaudin of the StartupBus New Orleans 2012 experience. Gaudin has since utilized the experience as the Chief Operating Officer at Operation Spark, a coding boot camp that rapidly trains people for careers in technology related fields.

All buses depart for New Orleans on July 31st and arrive August 2nd. The semi-finals will be August 3rd at Landing Zone, 625 Celeste Street, in the Lower Garden District where venture capital pitch coaches will be on hand to assist teams. The finals will hosted by the New Orleans Jazz Market, 1436 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.

Coaches and organizations providing services throughout the event include Human Networks, Ready.Set.Passion!, Amy Landry (Fuel Success Academy), Val Fagan, Desiree Young (Venture Walk), Bill Gannon (Connect2Sell), Laquita Brooks, April Stolf, Wayne Encalarde, Jr., (Encalarde Consultants), Justin Bayer (Welcome to College), and Eduardo Erazo (Amazon).

The StartupBus New Orleans 2017 is made possible by generous donations and sponsorships from companies vested in the future of New Orleans. Those sponsors include GE Digital, Landing Zone, Orleans Coffee, SCORE/SBA of New Orleans, NOLA Brewing, Vetlaunch, New Orleans Tours, Hop & Jaunt, and HEROfarm Marketing & Public Relations.

The StartupBus New Orleans 2017 still has limited opportunities for sponsors who are interested in helping startups and furthering the creative and technical capabilities of Louisiana. Corporate sponsorships include branding and media recognition at the Landing Party on August 3 – 4. Those interested in sponsorship information for the event and potential riders can contact Alyson Kilday at aly@hopandjaunt.com.

Updates and achievements from the road are available at:
https://twitter.com/TheStartupBus
https://www.facebook.com/TheStartupBus

Interview and photography opportunities are available upon request.

About Landing Zone (625 Celeste St., New Orleans, LA 70130):
New Orleans’ largest co-working facility offering 20,000 square feet of work space situated on 3 floors will be providing FREE co-working to local entrepreneurs the two days of the event. Sign up is located here.