Global Corporations, Investors, Startups to Convene in New Orleans for 5th New Orleans Entrepreneur Week

NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- National business executives, entrepreneurs, MBAs, and globally-renowned venture capitalists will gather for the 5th Annual New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW) on March 16-22, 2013 to share best practices and celebrate innovation and entrepreneurship.

Event headliners include Walter Isaacson, President and CEO of Aspen Institute; Hamdi Ulukaya, President, Founder, and CEO of Chobani; and Dana Mauriello, Director of New Business Opportunities for Etsy. Additionally, representatives from Fortune 500 companies, the most prominent venture capitalists, and notable entrepreneurs will be participating, including:

• Jim Coulter: Founding Partner, TPG Capital, L.P.
• Donna Fenn: author; contributing editor, Inc. Magazine
• Nick Friedman: Co-Founder, College Hunks Hauling Junk, College Hunks Moving
• Patti Greene: Professor Babson College; National Academic Director, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses
• David Hall: Revolution Ventures
• New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu
• Mary Matalin: Political Consultant
• Kathryn Minshew: Founder, The Muse
• Wendell Pierce: star of HBO's hit show "Treme"
• Jeff Pulver: Founder, FWD, VON Coalition, Vivox; Co-Founder, 3-Rings, Vonage
• Bridgette Sexton:  Google for Entrepreneurs
• Margaret Spellings: Former U.S. Secretary of Education; Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Advisory Council
• Robbert Vorhoff: General Atlantic
• Alan Weinkrantz: Global PR Expert
• Tina Wells: Founder, Buzz Marketing; Huffington Post blogger; Black Enterprise columnist

New Orleans has one of the most dynamic and engaged entrepreneurial ecosystems in the world and NOEW is its premier showcase event. NOEW is hosted each year by The Idea Village, a 12 year old nonprofit that identifies, supports, and retains entrepreneurial talent in New Orleans. The week-long event is the culmination of The Idea Village's nine-month Entrepreneur Season, attracting thousands of attendees.

This year, NOEW is expected to gather 3,000 of the nation's most innovative business leaders, financiers, entrepreneurs, and students to support New Orleans entrepreneurs through over 55 events. Highlights include Capital Pitch Competitions, which will award prizes ranging from $100,000 to a personalized, guided tour of Silicon Valley's investment community, and an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Summit that will engage global partners to discuss best practices for sustaining entrepreneurial ecosystems.

All seminars, workshops, and keynotes are free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. These events range from one-on-one counseling sessions to specialized workshops on legal and marketing practices. Registration is open at www.ideavillage.org

SOURCE The Idea Village