Interview with Louisiana Economic Development's Chief Innovation Officer, Joshua Fleig
Louisiana Aims to Become a National Tech Hub
Louisiana is making strides to leverage its legacy industries and transform into a national tech hub. Key projects like H2theFuture and Louisiana State University's FUEL program are focusing on energy innovation, positioning the state at the forefront of energy technology.
At the helm of this transformation is Josh Fleig, the Chief Innovation Officer at Louisiana Economic Development (LED). Fleig's journey to this role stems from a lifelong passion for driving change and Louisiana's need to diversify its economy and lead in emerging sectors. Before joining LED, Fleig worked in design thinking, teaching fine arts, creating a multimedia program at a Baton Rouge high school, studying interaction design at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, and working in interactive media product development at NBC Universal, among other roles.
Fleig's responsibilities at LED are multifaceted. He is tasked with creating a cohesive innovation strategy for the state, supporting startups, commercializing research, shaping forward-thinking policy, and telling Louisiana's story as a leader in innovation. His team has faced challenges, particularly in changing the perception that Louisiana is only about legacy industries like oil, gas, agriculture, and tourism. However, they have overcome these obstacles by highlighting real wins, such as companies investing in energy innovation, startups growing in Louisiana, and higher education institutions commercializing research.
The LED's objectives include highlighting Louisiana's successes and potential on a national stage to attract talent, investment, and partnerships. To this end, the LED has passed legislation that reformed its leadership, focusing on innovation. It has also realigned its department to move at the speed of business, removing bureaucratic barriers.
The LED's future plans involve shaping policies that attract investment and encourage innovation across all sectors. It intends to partner with higher education institutions to turn Louisiana-based research into new businesses and products. One of the growth areas is applied research in areas deeply tied to Louisiana's unique environmental challenges and opportunities, such as coastal restoration and advanced manufacturing.
The LED has also created an incentive for AI and technology companies to establish themselves in Louisiana, leading to the announcement of Meta's AI hyperscale data center in Northeast Louisiana. Fleig's role is about creating tools like grants, incentives, and investment capital that help businesses and institutions turn bold ideas into economic growth.
Future goals for LED include strengthening the startup ecosystem, leading in innovation policy, commercializing research, and telling Louisiana's story better. Fleig is recognised for actively promoting Louisiana’s growing tech sector and innovation initiatives. With Fleig at the helm, Louisiana is well on its way to becoming a national tech hub.
- The startup ecosystem in Louisiana is being guided by Josh Fleig, the Chief Innovation Officer at Louisiana Economic Development (LED), who also focuses on shaping forward-thinking policies and creating opportunities for businesses to develop and grow, such as providing incentives for AI and technology companies.
- To achieve its goal of becoming a national tech hub, the LED is concentrating on bolstering the startup ecosystem, actively commercializing research, and telling Louisiana's story as a leader in innovation, particularly in emerging sectors like energy technology and AI, which will attract investment, partnerships, and new business opportunities.
