Interview with Louisiana Economic Development's Chief Innovation Officer, Josh Fleig
Louisiana Economic Development (LED) is spearheading a shift towards an innovation-driven economy, with a focus on leveraging the state's legacy industries as a foundation for future growth. This transformation is led by Josh Fleig, the Chief Innovation Officer for LED, who brings a wealth of experience in design thinking, technology, and innovation to the table.
Fleig's mission is to drive innovation across Louisiana, supporting startups, commercializing research, shaping forward-thinking policy, and promoting the state as an innovation leader. His goals are aimed at building a future-focused economy, with a particular emphasis on strengthening the startup ecosystem, leading innovation policy, commercializing research, and better telling Louisiana's story.
To achieve these objectives, Fleig is leading Louisiana Innovation (LA.IO), which is dedicated to growing high-tech startups and boosting the local tech ecosystem. One of the key strategies is to strengthen the startup ecosystem by improving access to coaching, capital, and customers. This will help startups grow and scale, creating a vibrant and dynamic tech scene in Louisiana.
LED also aims to lead in innovation policy by attracting investment and encouraging innovation across all sectors. A significant part of this strategy involves commercializing research by partnering with higher education to turn Louisiana-based research into new businesses and products. Examples of this approach can be seen in projects like H2theFuture and Louisiana State University's Future Use of Energy in Louisiana program (FUEL), which focus on energy innovation.
However, Fleig and the team face a challenge in changing the perception that Louisiana is only about legacy industries like oil, gas, agriculture, and tourism. They are working to communicate the importance of innovation in building upon these strengths and highlighting the state's successes and potential on a national stage to attract talent, investment, and partnerships.
This shift in focus is already paying off, as evidenced by the establishment of Meta's AI hyperscale data center in Northeast Louisiana. The rapid response of LED to the growing wave of AI infrastructure investment made Louisiana a competitive location for global data centers, positioning the state at the forefront of technological innovation.
In conclusion, LED, under the leadership of Josh Fleig, is committed to building a future-focused, innovation-driven economy in Louisiana. By strengthening the startup ecosystem, leading innovation policy, commercializing research, and promoting the state's potential, Louisiana is poised to become a hub for technological advancement and economic growth.
References: [1] Louisiana Economic Development. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved from https://led.la/about/ [3] Louisiana Innovation. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved from https://la-io.org/about/ [5] Baton Rouge Business Report. (2021, September 16). Louisiana Economic Development's Josh Fleig on the state's tech ecosystem. Retrieved from https://www.bizjournals.com/batonrouge/news/2021/09/16/louisiana-economic-development-josh-fleig-tech.html
Startup ecosystem strengthening and technology innovation are key priorities for Josh Fleig, the Chief Innovation Officer for Louisiana Economic Development (LED). To build a future-focused economy, Fleig aims to improve access to coaching, capital, and customers for high-tech startups, thereby creating a vibrant and dynamic tech scene in Louisiana. In addition, LED is leading in innovation policy by attracting investment, commercializing research, and promoting the state as an innovation leader, with projects like H2theFuture and Louisiana State University's Future Use of Energy in Louisiana program (FUEL) showcasing this approach.
