ABOUT NEW
ORLEANS ENTREPRENEUR WEEK

New Orleans Entrepreneur Week 2026 (March 9-14) is an annual week-long celebration of innovation and entrepreneurship, produced by the Center for Entrepreneurship and Community Development at Loyola University New Orleans. Spanning venues across New Orleans, NOEW 2026 culminates at The NOEW Summit at Loyola University, featuring dynamic programming designed to empower and connect entrepreneurs across the Gulf South.

The spirit of New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW) first began in 2009 as the “IDEAcorps Challenge,” a program by The Idea Village to engage MBAs and volunteer consultants from across the country. In 2011, the IDEAcorps Challenge evolved into a full week-long event dedicated to entrepreneurship that has come to be known as  “NOEW” (pronounced noh-wee!) – sending a regional and national message that New Orleans’ entrepreneurial ecosystem is thriving and growing.

For its first 13 years, The Idea Village produced NOEW, helping establish it as a cornerstone of the city’s innovation community. In 2025, Loyola University’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Community Development joined as a co-producer, bringing The Summit to campus for the very first time. Now in its 15th year, Loyola proudly serves as the producer of NOEW 2026, continuing the tradition of celebrating and advancing entrepreneurship across the Gulf South.