Startup St. Bernard 2021 Now Virtual

Relying on information from the Louisiana Department of Health about surging COVID-19 infection rates and out of an abundance of caution, Startup St. Bernard will no longer be open to the public. Instead, we invite you to watch the live pitches online Thursday at 2 p.m. on StartupStBernard.com and Facebook.

Public health is our top priority, and the finalists and judges will be on-site, socially distanced, for the event.

This is the 7th annual Startup St. Bernard presented by the Meraux Foundation and St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation. Three finalists have been selected to pitch in this “Shark Tank” style competition for a chance to win over $100K in cash and in-kind prizes. They are: 

Glass Half Full, a New Orleans-based glass recycling initiative located in Gentilly with the mission to “collect NOLA’s glass and convert it into beach-like sand and glass cullet that’s used for disaster relief, eco-construction, new glass products, and so much more.” Started by 2 Tulane students in the Spring of 2020, the company recycles almost 50,000 pounds of glass a week through both free drop-offs and paid pick-ups from residences and businesses. Glass Half Full’s founders also operate Glassroots, a nonprofit that “expands the accessibility of recycling through education, outreach, and the creative reuse of traditional waste.”

Nice Plants Good Pots, a commercial plant nursery headquartered in Arabi that specializes in the collection and propagation of rare and endangered tropical and arid plants, with an emphasis on conservation and education. The company opened in the Fall of 2019 with a small $4000 investment and two friends who had a passion for growing plants and educating others about how to grow them. All pots and ceramic accompaniments are handmade, as well. The company currently functions fully through e-commerce and pop-up locations around New Orleans, and hopes to expand into St. Bernard with a full greenhouse, retail location, and event/education space. 

St. Bernard EcoTourism, a local eco-tourism destination in St. Bernard for both tourists and locals alike. SBET offers guests the opportunity to experience local wetlands firsthand via air and pontoon boats, an outdoor event venue, and family events and parties. Open since 2019 but shut down during the pandemic, the company reopened in May of 2021 to provide a fully immersive ecotour experience that educates and entertains all ages, giving everyone a taste of the wetlands. SBET also hopes to expand in the near future with a restaurant and lounge on the water.

You can learn more about the event at www.startupstbernard.com.