About Us

 

Overview

Innovation Catalyst is a nonprofit venture development organization, formed by community leaders to strengthen and broaden Louisiana’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and to drive new high-growth, scalable company formation by providing Louisiana based, early-stage companies with capital, coaching and connections. 

Our organization manages The Catalyst Fund, the Red Stick Angel Network, the Venture Capital Apprentice Program, the Baton Rouge Entrepreneurial Week’s (“BREW”) High-Stakes Pitch Competition and is the General Partner for the Greaux Innovation Ventures fund. 

Through our funds and programs, Innovation Catalyst is seeking to create a “capital continuum,” by funding companies, and providing them with support,  throughout their early to growth stages.

The Catalyst Fund

The Catalyst Fund is a non-profit, “evergreen” fund that offers capital infusions, in addition to the action-oriented insights and connections Louisiana-based entrepreneurs need to bring their ideas to life. It was created to fan Louisiana’s entrepreneurial fire by investing in early stage companies and then recycling returns to fuel the entrepreneurial ecosystem. 

Being a non-profit, a Return on Investment is not our primary objective. We are typically the first money in after the friends and family round and work as an economic development tool by supporting women, minority and veteran founded companies, as well as companies that might not otherwise be funded by a traditional capital venture fund. 

The Catalyst Fund takes a hands-on approach from the very beginning, partnering with talented entrepreneurs to transform their innovative ideas into venture-fundable companies.

We work with you and our partners to:

  • Test ideas.

  • Build a strong value proposition for big markets.

  • Build a strategy and plan for long-term growth.

  • Fund your plan and get the resources you need to deliver.

  • Build a rockstar team.

  • Provide introductions to prospective investors, partners, and customers.

  • Expand into international markets.

You might have noticed by now that we mean business. How about you?

Red Stick Angels

The Red Stick Angel Network is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Innovation Catalyst, whose members are accredited investors or "Angels" located in the greater Baton Rouge area.  Its mission is to organize the BR Angels as a network in order to identify, vet, and then aggregate investment capital of its members to invest in early stage companies in BR and throughout La. In addition to capital, its members provide coaching and connections to support and grow its portfolio companies, thereby fostering economic development and job creation in Baton Rouge and throughout LA.

BREW

BREW (“Baton Rouge Entrepreneurial Week”) is Nexus Louisiana’s ultimate showcase of Louisiana’s entrepreneurs. The culmination of BREW is the High Stakes Pitch Competition, an event managed by Innovation Catalyst, wherein the winner receives a $100,000 investment prize from the Red Stick Angels.

VCAP

The Venture Capital Apprentice Program (“VCAP”) was formed by NexusLA, Innovation Catalyst and the Red Stick Angel Network in collaboration with the E.J. Ourso College of Business. LSU Innovation Park and the Baton Rouge Area Chamber also now participate in the program. VCAP was designed to provide participating LSU students with real-world finance and business-related experience, along with networking and employment opportunities. It also provides high-growth Louisiana based companies, who require finance, accounting and market research support services, with a team of smart and motivated students.

To date, there have been 8 cohorts, with 251 students working on 60 separate projects/deliverables.

Greaux Innovation Ventures Fund (“GIV”) 

GIV is a for-profit venture capital fund created in 2024 that is managed by Innovation Catalyst. 

The fund provides growth capital to Louisiana based, high-growth, scalable companies.

Ignition

Nexus Louisiana manages Ignition 1 (Fall) and Ignition 2 (Spring) accelerator programs, which teaches companies about the customer discovery process by learning about the Business Model Canvas, and how to raise capital by creating a Pitch Deck and how to present it. 

Innovation Catalyst provides a $10,000 investment to most “investable” company in each of the programs.