Louisiana's technology industry is strong and getting stronger.
The state is home to more than 350 IT companies. Along with our
regional partners, LED continuously works to ensure these
businesses have all the resources necessary to thrive. With three
technology incubators statewide, Louisiana is cultivating a new
generation of companies involved in IT, digital media and cyber
technology. The Louisiana Optical Network Initiative, which
connects five supercomputers around the state for research
purposes, earned the state a membership in the National LambdaRail.
This allows Louisiana researchers to collaborate with scientists
around the country and the world on major initiatives.
Additionally, the state's digital media industry is attracting a
growing number of video game developers and associated
businesses.
Information Technology
More than 350 IT companies are doing business in Louisiana, and
experts predict that number will grow in the coming years because
of the infrastructure and support systems in place. Louisiana
maintains three IT incubators around the state dedicated to the
successful development of technology startups and entrepreneurs:
the Louisiana Tech Technology Incubator in Ruston, the Louisiana
Technology Incubator for Entrepreneurial Success at the University
of Louisiana at Lafayette and the Louisiana Business and Technology
Center at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.
Also bolstering Louisiana's technology profile, LONI connects
the state's major research universities, allowing greater
collaboration and producing results faster and with greater
accuracy. With more than 85 teraflops of computational capacity,
LONI provides Louisiana researchers with one of the most advanced
optical networks in the country and the most powerful distributed
supercomputer resources available to any academic community.
Located at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the
Louisiana Immersive Technologies Enterprise, or LITE, offers a
comprehensive set of advanced visualization systems including one
of the world's largest 3-D visualization theaters and one of the
world's first multi-user, six-sided digital 3-D total immersive
space based on CAVE™ technologies. LITE, a state entity,
hosts commercial, government and university clients.
The effort to grow and sustain IT in Louisiana also continues on
the regional level. The Louisiana Technology Park in Baton Rouge is
a public-private alliance formed to create the most active and
innovative atmosphere for e-business, high technology and
biotechnology between Houston and Atlanta. The Louisiana Technology
Council, or LTC, was formed in New Orleans in 1994 to help
area businesses and organizations use technology to their
advantage. Initially funded by the city of New Orleans, LTC has
been self-sustaining since its second year - receiving no outside
funds - and membership has tripled since 2003. Lafayette's
technology council, Zydetech, works to build a
technologically-inspired community of business, government and
education in Acadiana. These and numerous other entities throughout
the state exist to ensure IT businesses find success in
Louisiana.
Cyber Technology
The cyber technology industry exists to help create secure
networks for public, private and governmental uses. The Cyber
Innovation Center in Bossier City, north of Barksdale Air Force
Base, plays a major part in the effort to protect our nation's
interests from cyber espionage and attacks. A worldwide leader in
research and technology development in the fields of cyberspace and
cyber infrastructure, the Cyber Innovation Center assists
government agencies, such as Department of Defense, Transportation
Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security and
National Security Agency in obtaining cyberspace dominance. The
center also works to stimulate innovation-based economic growth
through strategic partnerships.
The center has also created an Academic Outreach program, which
is tapping into the area's educational institutions to ensure that
students are getting well trained in technology. One of program's
goals is to create a knowledge-based workforce to support the
requirements of the Air Force, private industry and academia.
In May 2009, Barksdale Air Force Base was selected as the
permanent location for the new Air Force Global Strike Command -
the Air Force's newest major command. The Global Strike Command
will play a major role in the Air Force's nuclear deterrence,
defense and national security.
Digital Media
Louisiana is focusing a great deal of attention and effort on
the cultivation of its video game development industry. Since 2005,
the state has instituted an aggressive tax incentive program for
video game production and encouraged workforce development programs
at several universities throughout the state.
At Louisiana State University, educators and researchers are
developing the Arts, Visualization, Advanced Technologies and
Research Initiative, or AVATAR, a curriculum focusing on the
intersections among art, technology and computation, creating new
research areas in virtual environments, digital art,
electroacoustic music, animation, video game design, scientific
visualization and more. AVATAR will leverage state tax incentives
for digital media and train a talented workforce for one of
Louisiana's vibrant and growing industries.
Digital Media Incentive
Developers of interactive digital media, such as video games,
receive up to a 25% tax credit against production expenditures in
Louisiana and an additional 10% tax credit for Louisiana resident
labor expenditures. For more information, click here.
