Building Global Companies from the Gulf South

The headlines were recently buzzing about LA.IO - Louisiana's new $50 million Growth Fund.

The initiative addresses a critical gap in our ecosystem: access to growth capital between $1-5 million. LED will partner with established fund managers to deploy this capital, backed by federal SSBCI funding and matched by private capital to create a $100M pool. Beyond capital, LA IO unites innovation partners across Louisiana - from Idea Village in New Orleans to Opportunity Machine in Lafayette.

By the standards of San Francisco, where single Series A rounds can top $50M, or even Austin's multi-billion dollar venture ecosystem, it might seem modest.

But at Boot64, we're in the business of two things:

1. Building global companies
2. Generating venture-scale returns

LA IO validates Louisiana has the perfect conditions for both.

For LPs seeking the next great technology ecosystem, Louisiana is ground zero for building valuable companies in massive industries that coastal VCs consistently overlook.

Building Giants Where They Belong

Venture capital has developed some curious blind spots.?

A quick look at Traxcn finds 143 funded Calendar Management Tools. While somewhat facetious, this pattern speaks volumes about how VC ecosystems tend to fund solutions to VC problems.?

Meanwhile, trillion-dollar industries that power the American economy remain largely untouched by modern technology.

Boot64 just backed Hello Gravel, targeting the $1.9 trillion gravel industry. The sheer scale of industrial opportunities can be staggering - we're talking about foundational industries that quite literally build America.

This is where Louisiana's advantages become clear. The state's industrial backbone - five major deepwater ports, the Mississippi River corridor, and North America's most extensive rail network - creates natural clusters of massive industries. Hello Gravel isn't in Louisiana by accident. They're here because proximity to these logistics networks and industrial buyers is essential for product-market fit.

These are big markets where technology adoption decisions worth hundreds of millions of dollars are made. When your customers move millions of tons of materials through the Mississippi River corridor or the Gulf Coast's petrochemical hub, being close to their infrastructure and decision makers is essential for understanding their needs, building trust, and scaling deployments.

Tech savvy founders with experience or insights into these industries have a significant advantage.?

Applying AI Where It’s Needed - LA.IO's Catalyst Effect

LA.IO 's commitment to upgrading 5,000 Louisiana businesses with AI tools signals a crucial shift in our region. As above, tech founders who use AI to solve concrete problems can benefit from Louisiana's diverse industrial base that provides fertile ground for this practical approach.?

This practical application of AI sits at the heart of Boot64's investment thesis. While other markets chase AI for AI's sake, we're backing founders who understand how to apply AI to massive existing markets. Take Centerline, whose platform has already managed 350+ architecture projects worth $3.2B. They’re using AI to solve complex personnel management and certification tracking problems that have plagued industrial worksites for decades.

We're also seeing experienced founders choose Louisiana for their AI ventures - not because it's trendy, but because they understand the power of combining AI with deep industry knowledge. Chris Meaux x exemplifies this trend. After building and selling Waitr for $300 million, he could have launched his next venture anywhere. Instead, he chose to build QiMana Inc in Louisiana, applying AI to entrepreneurship and business support.?

The Venture Math in Louisiana

Several factors make Louisiana particularly attractive for venture returns:

1. Entry Valuations: Average seed-stage valuations in Louisiana remain 30-40% lower than major tech hubs, enabling larger ownership positions for the same check size.
2. Capital Efficiency: Louisiana startups typically achieve similar growth metrics with 50% less capital than coastal counterparts, driven by lower operating costs and practical business models.
3. Deal Access: Boot64's position in the ecosystem provides early access to opportunities, often before coastal VCs become aware of them.
4. Industry Expertise: Founders bring decades of experience in their target industries, reducing execution risk and accelerating customer acquisition.

Louisiana's next generation of startups leverage unique insights into massive industries while maintaining capital efficiency. The combination of LA IO's support infrastructure, Boot64's investment approach, and Louisiana's industrial expertise creates perfect conditions for building category-defining companies.

For LPs seeking exposure to the next great technology ecosystem, Louisiana presents a compelling opportunity. We're seeing founders who deeply understand their markets, capital-efficient growth strategies, and massive addressable markets - the essential ingredients for venture-scale returns.

Deep industry expertise + capital efficiency + massive markets = venture-scale opportunities.

LA IO adds rocket fuel to this equation, providing the growth capital necessary to scale these companies into global leaders.