Rick Koubek, dean of the LSU College of Engineering, is a little embarrassed to call IBM's decision to put a regional software development center in Baton Rouge a “game changer.” The phrase has become a Capital Region cliché since the deal was announced March 27, even showing up on the cover of this magazine.
Like a small but growing number of Baton Rouge-based entrepreneurs, Alex LaPlace, co-founder of Stasis Soft, is looking to make his mark in the digital media business. His company plans to create a three-part video game called Revelations: The Outbreak. LaPlace calls the project a "grassroots nod to the original survival horror genre," and it will feature zombies, naturally. Stasis Soft is expected to be one of the first clients of a "digital content" incubator scheduled to launch in early March at the Louisiana Technology Park on Florida Boulevard. Tech Park spokesman Jesse Hoggard says the digital incubator initially will host two or three companies with two to eight members each. He says park staffers are preparing the space and meeting with potential mentors, advisers, and companies. As with current Tech Park clients, video game incubator companies would receive discounted office space, data center access, and consultation services, while also gaining access to...
Five years after the start of the Great Recession, the toll is terrifyingly clear: Millions of middle-class jobs have been lost in developed countries the world over. And according to a new analysis by The Associated Press, the situation is even worse than it appears. Most of the jobs will never return, and millions more are likely to vanish as well, say experts who study the labor market. What's more, these jobs aren't just being lost to China and other developing countries, and they aren't just factory work. Increasingly, jobs are disappearing in the service sector, where two-thirds of all workers are employed. They're being obliterated by technology. Year after year, the software that runs computers and an array of other machines and devices becomes more sophisticated and powerful and capable of doing more efficiently tasks that humans have previously done. For decades, science fiction warned of a future when we would be architects of our own obsolescence, replaced by our...
A weekend spent furiously coding under the pressure of a ticking clock, broken up by the briefest of naps on floors and office furniture, came to a bleary-eyed close in New Orleans on Sunday for about four dozen software developers competing in the inaugural Codemakers Super Challenge, The Times-Picayune reports. Charged with creating Internet applications that will enhance the experiences of Super Bowl goers, competitors presented their products to a panel of judges and learned who were crowned winners of the contest affectionately called a "hackathon." The grand prize—which includes donated business services, tickets to events, and meals at restaurants—went to a team that developed an app to help diners locate open seats at restaurants. Members of the New Orleans Super Bowl Host Committee had sought such a service, saying they hoped to avoid problems that unfolded around the NFL's championship game in Indianapolis last year when some eateries became overcrowded...
Baton Rouge-based app maker NewAperio and other custom-built software developers in the city have reason to rejoice this morning, as the Metro Council unanimously approved Wednesday evening an exemption from paying the 2% sales tax to the city-parish for such businesses. "I'm really excited about it. I think it shows Baton Rouge is solidly in support of its technology companies; and it shouts a message to the rest of the country and Louisiana: Come build a technology business here," says Logan Leger, NewAperio co-founder and CEO, who initially brought the idea of the exemption to the Metro Council. "It's significant for a company such as ours: the difference between hiring another staff member or not." Other professional services firms are already exempt from the 2% sales tax in Baton Rouge. The only other parish in the state to have approved a local sales tax exemption for custom-built software developers is Orleans Parish. The ordinance is aimed at attracting more software...
Hunting season is in full swing, and a local tech firm has a new app for hunters. Called HuntSoft, the free app is the brainchild of Randall Nachman, whose five-year-old firm ATLOS is a member of the Louisiana Technology Park. The app allows hunters to easily access and share maps, schedules, harvest data, weather, photos and more. Nachman is an avid sportsman and got the idea to combine his passion with his profession after noticing a dearth of high-tech hunting products. "Even though hunting is a $20 billion a year industry, it's grossly underserved technology-wise," Nachman says. "With HuntSoft, we've combined a passion for hunting with over 15 years in the software development industry to bring hunters a feature-rich experience."
BRAC has identified five industry sectors that have the best potential for economic development "wins" over the next several years. BRAC President/CEO Adam Knapp stresses that the chamber won't turn away any opportunities that walk through the door, adding that it will continue to work with existing local businesses regardless of industry. The analysis by consultant Newmark Knight Frank, which BRAC commissioned, is meant to show the sectors with significant growth potential where the Capital Region has the best chance to compete, and will influence nearly every aspect of BRAC's work. The state commissioned a similar report known as "Blue Ocean" in 2009. The five sectors are: chemicals and new energy production, fabricated structural materials, software design, technical research and consulting, and advanced shared services. Possible sources for foreign direct investment in each sector are noted, with the United Kingdom, Germany and Canada cited as the most active. Until recently,...
The Louisiana Technology Park has been awarded a $75,000 grant from the Delta Regional Authority to create a space reserved for independent startup video game developers. As with current Tech Park clients, the video game incubator clients would receive discounted office space, data center access, and consultation services. But they also would have access to industry-specific software and hardware. The Tech Park also plans to create a network of industry mentors in the video game industry. The primary focus would be games and apps for mobile devices, which are easier and cheaper to develop and monetize than console games. The program is expected to take in two or three companies the first year, then ramp up to eight companies per year. Teams admitted to the program are expected to stay at least six months. Digital media, including video game development, is a sector targeted for growth by both state and local officials, and the state offers tax credit incentives for those businesses.
In a year during which the city-parish government has already awarded nearly $500 million in construction contracts, the bidding process to install streetlights on Brightside Lane was no more extraordinary than any other project. The city-parish estimated the project would cost about $895,000. Four companies, accordingly, submitted their bids electronically. Diamond Electrical Co. was the lowest bidder. But due to a computer glitch in the bidding software, Diamond's final bid—which was an amendment to its first bid—wasn't acknowledged and the streetlight project went to Jack B. Harper Contractor Inc. Diamond brought their final bid of $649,000 to the city-parish's attention after Harper was awarded the project for $719,000. Diamond eventually was recognized as the lowest bidder. But it took the software developer 56 days to admit its system's error. "And now we're stuck with litigation," says Councilman Chandler Loupe. The Parish Attorney's Office says the software...
Baton Rouge-based PreSonus Audio Electronics officially announced today it will begin construction this month on a more than $8 million headquarters facility off Highland Road, across from Healing Place Church. To land the deal and keep PreSonus in Baton Rouge—where it has been since 1995—state officials say they began working with the company early last year to come up with an incentives package. PreSonus is expected to utilize several tax incentives, including the Quality Jobs, Industrial Tax Exemption, and Digital Interactive Media and Software Development incentives. The company also will receive assistance from LED via its FastStart workforce development program. The state did not release an estimate on what that incentive package is worth to PreSonus, but does say the firm's new headquarters is expected to create 65 new direct jobs with an average salary of $80,000, plus benefits. The project will also retain 80 existing jobs and will result in another 79 indirect...
Louisiana today became the fifth state to implement the Microsoft IT Academy Program at all public high schools across the state, the Louisiana Department of Education says. The program provides students and teachers with "real-world technology skills needed to thrive in the 21st century global economy" via access to online learning content, official Microsoft course materials, and instructor resources and support materials that include lesson plans, software licenses, and professional, industry-recognized certifications. There are more than 10,000 Microsoft IT Academy Program members in over 160 countries. The first phase of Louisiana's program is being implemented in 21 school districts today, including East Baton Rouge Parish. All remaining public high schools will implement the program by the end of the fall semester.
When Ameritas Technologies opens in October in the Chase Building in downtown Baton Rouge, it isn't only delivering 300 new jobs to Baton Rouge. It's also part of a much larger vision to counter the offshore outsourcing of American technology jobs.
Louisiana continues to rack up accolades from Business Facilities as details from the magazine's 2012 State Rankings Report continue to be released this week. In the latest release, Louisiana is ranked as being the No. 1 state for the digital media industry. According to Business Facilities: "Louisiana's digital media industry is one of the fastest growing in the nation, growing at a rate of more than 100%. The state has almost 19,000 skilled software developers and more than 100,000 professionals with a skill set conducive to digital media or software development. In addition, its information sector, including software publishing and telecommunications, has experienced the second fastest growth rate in the country since June 2009." The magazine notes Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Shreveport are leading the state in the growth of digital media companies. "Known as the 'Creative Capital of the South,' Baton Rouge has attracted development studios such as Electronic Arts,...
A big deal
Rick Koubek, dean of the LSU College of Engineering, is a little embarrassed to call IBM's decision to put a regional software development center in Baton Rouge a “game changer.” The phrase has become a Capital Region cliché since the deal was announced March 27, even showing up on the cover of this magazine.
Darren Vallaire
POSITION Chief technology officer
COMPANY 24Hour Florist
REVENUE $300,000 projected for 2013
NEXT GOAL Get manufacturing re-established
Video game incubator scheduled to open in B.R. next month
Like a small but growing number of Baton Rouge-based entrepreneurs, Alex LaPlace, co-founder of Stasis Soft, is looking to make his mark in the digital media business. His company plans to create a three-part video game called Revelations: The Outbreak. LaPlace calls the project a "grassroots nod to the original survival horror genre," and it will feature zombies, naturally. Stasis Soft is expected to be one of the first clients of a "digital content" incubator scheduled to launch in early March at the Louisiana Technology Park on Florida Boulevard. Tech Park spokesman Jesse Hoggard says the digital incubator initially will host two or three companies with two to eight members each. He says park staffers are preparing the space and meeting with potential mentors, advisers, and companies. As with current Tech Park clients, video game incubator companies would receive discounted office space, data center access, and consultation services, while also gaining access to...
Recession, technology blamed for killing middle-class jobs
Five years after the start of the Great Recession, the toll is terrifyingly clear: Millions of middle-class jobs have been lost in developed countries the world over. And according to a new analysis by The Associated Press, the situation is even worse than it appears. Most of the jobs will never return, and millions more are likely to vanish as well, say experts who study the labor market. What's more, these jobs aren't just being lost to China and other developing countries, and they aren't just factory work. Increasingly, jobs are disappearing in the service sector, where two-thirds of all workers are employed. They're being obliterated by technology. Year after year, the software that runs computers and an array of other machines and devices becomes more sophisticated and powerful and capable of doing more efficiently tasks that humans have previously done. For decades, science fiction warned of a future when we would be architects of our own obsolescence, replaced by our...
App to locate restaurant seats wins N.O. Super Bowl competition
A weekend spent furiously coding under the pressure of a ticking clock, broken up by the briefest of naps on floors and office furniture, came to a bleary-eyed close in New Orleans on Sunday for about four dozen software developers competing in the inaugural Codemakers Super Challenge, The Times-Picayune reports. Charged with creating Internet applications that will enhance the experiences of Super Bowl goers, competitors presented their products to a panel of judges and learned who were crowned winners of the contest affectionately called a "hackathon." The grand prize—which includes donated business services, tickets to events, and meals at restaurants—went to a team that developed an app to help diners locate open seats at restaurants. Members of the New Orleans Super Bowl Host Committee had sought such a service, saying they hoped to avoid problems that unfolded around the NFL's championship game in Indianapolis last year when some eateries became overcrowded...
B.R. software developers get sales tax exemption
Baton Rouge-based app maker NewAperio and other custom-built software developers in the city have reason to rejoice this morning, as the Metro Council unanimously approved Wednesday evening an exemption from paying the 2% sales tax to the city-parish for such businesses. "I'm really excited about it. I think it shows Baton Rouge is solidly in support of its technology companies; and it shouts a message to the rest of the country and Louisiana: Come build a technology business here," says Logan Leger, NewAperio co-founder and CEO, who initially brought the idea of the exemption to the Metro Council. "It's significant for a company such as ours: the difference between hiring another staff member or not." Other professional services firms are already exempt from the 2% sales tax in Baton Rouge. The only other parish in the state to have approved a local sales tax exemption for custom-built software developers is Orleans Parish. The ordinance is aimed at attracting more software...
Tech entrepreneur develops app for hunters
Hunting season is in full swing, and a local tech firm has a new app for hunters. Called HuntSoft, the free app is the brainchild of Randall Nachman, whose five-year-old firm ATLOS is a member of the Louisiana Technology Park. The app allows hunters to easily access and share maps, schedules, harvest data, weather, photos and more. Nachman is an avid sportsman and got the idea to combine his passion with his profession after noticing a dearth of high-tech hunting products. "Even though hunting is a $20 billion a year industry, it's grossly underserved technology-wise," Nachman says. "With HuntSoft, we've combined a passion for hunting with over 15 years in the software development industry to bring hunters a feature-rich experience."
BRAC zeroes in on 5 target industries for future economic development
BRAC has identified five industry sectors that have the best potential for economic development "wins" over the next several years. BRAC President/CEO Adam Knapp stresses that the chamber won't turn away any opportunities that walk through the door, adding that it will continue to work with existing local businesses regardless of industry. The analysis by consultant Newmark Knight Frank, which BRAC commissioned, is meant to show the sectors with significant growth potential where the Capital Region has the best chance to compete, and will influence nearly every aspect of BRAC's work. The state commissioned a similar report known as "Blue Ocean" in 2009. The five sectors are: chemicals and new energy production, fabricated structural materials, software design, technical research and consulting, and advanced shared services. Possible sources for foreign direct investment in each sector are noted, with the United Kingdom, Germany and Canada cited as the most active. Until recently,...
Tech Park receives grant for video game incubator
The Louisiana Technology Park has been awarded a $75,000 grant from the Delta Regional Authority to create a space reserved for independent startup video game developers. As with current Tech Park clients, the video game incubator clients would receive discounted office space, data center access, and consultation services. But they also would have access to industry-specific software and hardware. The Tech Park also plans to create a network of industry mentors in the video game industry. The primary focus would be games and apps for mobile devices, which are easier and cheaper to develop and monetize than console games. The program is expected to take in two or three companies the first year, then ramp up to eight companies per year. Teams admitted to the program are expected to stay at least six months. Digital media, including video game development, is a sector targeted for growth by both state and local officials, and the state offers tax credit incentives for those businesses.
Project bids tied up in software glitch
In a year during which the city-parish government has already awarded nearly $500 million in construction contracts, the bidding process to install streetlights on Brightside Lane was no more extraordinary than any other project. The city-parish estimated the project would cost about $895,000. Four companies, accordingly, submitted their bids electronically. Diamond Electrical Co. was the lowest bidder. But due to a computer glitch in the bidding software, Diamond's final bid—which was an amendment to its first bid—wasn't acknowledged and the streetlight project went to Jack B. Harper Contractor Inc. Diamond brought their final bid of $649,000 to the city-parish's attention after Harper was awarded the project for $719,000. Diamond eventually was recognized as the lowest bidder. But it took the software developer 56 days to admit its system's error. "And now we're stuck with litigation," says Councilman Chandler Loupe. The Parish Attorney's Office says the software...
Tax incentives entice PreSonus to build new headquarters in B.R.
Baton Rouge-based PreSonus Audio Electronics officially announced today it will begin construction this month on a more than $8 million headquarters facility off Highland Road, across from Healing Place Church. To land the deal and keep PreSonus in Baton Rouge—where it has been since 1995—state officials say they began working with the company early last year to come up with an incentives package. PreSonus is expected to utilize several tax incentives, including the Quality Jobs, Industrial Tax Exemption, and Digital Interactive Media and Software Development incentives. The company also will receive assistance from LED via its FastStart workforce development program. The state did not release an estimate on what that incentive package is worth to PreSonus, but does say the firm's new headquarters is expected to create 65 new direct jobs with an average salary of $80,000, plus benefits. The project will also retain 80 existing jobs and will result in another 79 indirect...
Louisiana launches Microsoft IT Academy at public high schools
Louisiana today became the fifth state to implement the Microsoft IT Academy Program at all public high schools across the state, the Louisiana Department of Education says. The program provides students and teachers with "real-world technology skills needed to thrive in the 21st century global economy" via access to online learning content, official Microsoft course materials, and instructor resources and support materials that include lesson plans, software licenses, and professional, industry-recognized certifications. There are more than 10,000 Microsoft IT Academy Program members in over 160 countries. The first phase of Louisiana's program is being implemented in 21 school districts today, including East Baton Rouge Parish. All remaining public high schools will implement the program by the end of the fall semester.
The Ameritas vision
When Ameritas Technologies opens in October in the Chase Building in downtown Baton Rouge, it isn't only delivering 300 new jobs to Baton Rouge. It's also part of a much larger vision to counter the offshore outsourcing of American technology jobs.
Louisiana ranked best state in U.S. for digital media
Louisiana continues to rack up accolades from Business Facilities as details from the magazine's 2012 State Rankings Report continue to be released this week. In the latest release, Louisiana is ranked as being the No. 1 state for the digital media industry. According to Business Facilities: "Louisiana's digital media industry is one of the fastest growing in the nation, growing at a rate of more than 100%. The state has almost 19,000 skilled software developers and more than 100,000 professionals with a skill set conducive to digital media or software development. In addition, its information sector, including software publishing and telecommunications, has experienced the second fastest growth rate in the country since June 2009." The magazine notes Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Shreveport are leading the state in the growth of digital media companies. "Known as the 'Creative Capital of the South,' Baton Rouge has attracted development studios such as Electronic Arts,...