Virtual BizTech Expo launches today

Beginning at 10 a.m. today, Business Report‘s BizTech Expo is open for 100 hours as a virtual marketplace for both exhibitors and attendees. Except for two special live events Wednesday, the entire expo is being held online this year, marking the state’s first-ever completely online trade show or exposition. The BizTech Expo portal is designed to give visitors direct access to a select group of south Louisiana’s top business and technology companies. An estimated 50 exhibitors will provide information, photos and videos of their products and services in their virtual “booths.” Attendees can also chat with exhibitors live via text or video in the BizTech Expo Hall area. Featured speakers will explore a wide range of business and entrepreneurial topics in video seminars, and prizes will be given away to visitors daily. Live events taking place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Wednesday include the Louisiana Technology and Innovation Breakfast at 7:30 a.m., featuring an address by Josh Linkner, the New York Times best-selling author of Discliplined Dreaming: A Proven System to Drive Breakthrough Creativity; and the Top 100 Private Companies Luncheon, beginning at 11:45 a.m. and featuring LSU economist Loren Scott, who will unveil his economic forecast for 2012-13. Sponsors of the BizTech Expo include Gulf South Business Systems & Consultants, Hancock Bank/Whitney Bank, Mercedes-Benz of Baton Rouge, Superior Office Products and WAFB-TV. Free registration and more information on all BizTech events is available by clicking here. A video about the 2011 BizTech Expo can be viewed here. To watch testimonial videos from some of the expo’s sponsors, click here.