KEY TAKEAWAYS: Startup confidence: A new statewide report finds 92% of surveyed Louisiana entrepreneurs expect to remain in the state. Hiring plans: About 66.4% of respondents anticipate increasing their workforce over the next 12 months. Funding challenges: Access to capital remains the most frequently cited barrier to growth, followed by workforce challenges and the need for stronger business support. Statewide research: Louisiana Economic Development and Tulane University partnered on the report, which includes 143 validated responses from businesses across 27 parishes.   More than 90% of Louisiana entrepreneurs surveyed plan to remain in the state, while roughly two-thirds expect to add employees over the next year, according to the first statewide Louisiana Startup Report released by Louisiana Economic Development and Tulane University. Louisiana Innovation (LA.IO), a division of Louisiana Economic Development, partnered with the Albert Lepage Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Tulane University’s A. B. Freeman School of Business to produce the 2026 report, which examines startup activity, access to capital, workforce trends and technology adoption across the state. The findings show optimism among Louisiana’s early-stage businesses despite persistent challenges related to financing and workforce development. According to the survey, 92% of respondents said they would probably or definitely remain in Louisiana, while 66.4% expect to increase their workforce over the next 12 months. Access to capital emerged as the most frequently cited obstacle to business growth. Respondents also identified workforce challenges, limited entrepreneurial support and the need for stronger strategic partnerships as barriers to expansion. The report represents the first statewide expansion of research that Tulane’s Lepage Center began conducting in Greater New Orleans in 2019. LA.IO and the Lepage Center worked with 60 community partners to expand participation across Louisiana. The survey received 161 responses, including 143 validated responses from businesses in 27 parishes. State officials said the inaugural statewide report establishes a baseline for measuring changes in startup growth, employment, capital access and technology adoption in future years. “Louisiana’s entrepreneurs and innovators are creating jobs, bringing new ideas to market and strengthening communities across our state,” LED Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois said. “To support their success, we need a clear understanding of where our startup ecosystem stands today and where greater opportunity remains.” Bourgeois said the report would help state officials identify opportunities and direct resources toward areas where they could have the greatest impact. Technology adoption shapes startup outlook The report also highlights the growing role of advanced technology in Louisiana’s startup economy. Nearly two-thirds of respondents identified intelligent and machine-learning technologies as having the greatest potential long-term impact on their industries. Additionally, 75.9% reported that superintelligence technologies were already having a favorable effect on productivity. The findings suggest technology adoption is becoming an important consideration for entrepreneurs seeking to improve efficiency and expand their operations. LED Chief Innovation Officer Josh Fleig said the statewide report will provide policymakers and economic development organizations with information that previously was not available in a single source. “For years, Louisiana has had strong startup communities doing important work in different parts of the state, but we haven’t had a single source of data that allows us to see the full picture,” Fleig said. “Taking this report statewide gives us a common baseline to understand what’s working, where the gaps are and how we can make smarter decisions about where to invest.” Statewide research builds on New Orleans initiative The Lepage Center began tracking early-stage business activity in Greater New Orleans seven years ago, examining how entrepreneurs responded to economic disruptions, natural disasters and emerging technologies. Rob Lalka, executive director of the Albert Lepage Center and a professor of practice, said expanding the research statewide will help identify businesses and communities that may need additional resources. “The Lepage Center and our regional partners have measured early-stage business activity in Greater New Orleans every year since 2019,” Lalka said. “We have learned so much, especially from the impacts of COVID, Hurricane Ida, and increasingly powerful technologies.” Lalka said the partnership with LA.IO represents an opportunity to develop a more comprehensive understanding of entrepreneurship throughout Louisiana. The report also includes a new interactive digital platform that allows users to explore survey findings by region or industry, generate downloadable charts and access anonymized data. The platform includes an artificial intelligence-powered feature for querying the survey results. Although this year’s validated responses came from 27 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes, organizers said they intend to expand participation in future editions. LA.IO and the Lepage Center plan to continue working with community partners to strengthen the report as a resource for entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers and economic development organizations. The 2026 Louisiana Startup Report and its interactive data platform are available at louisianastartup.report. ...read more read less