Gulf South Angels

We’re excited to be part of Innovate South, a two-day celebration of South Louisiana’s innovation ecosystem. Join us in Lafayette at Opportunity Machine on April 25th as GSA board member Byron LeBlanc judges the Tech Tank Pitch Competition, where some of the region’s most promising startups will compete for the title of 2025 Emerging Startup of the Year & over $20,000 in Cash Prizes!

The women of Gulf South Angels were honored to host Unlocking Potential: Crafting Investment Strategies for a Profitable Exit at last week’s Power Up: Women’s Leadership Conference by the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce. From honest conversations about what investors look for to practical tips on building value and planning for exit, our panel of incredible women brought expertise and encouragement. Thank you to everyone who showed up and joined the conversation. Let’s keep empowering more women to invest, lead, and build lasting impact.

Thanks to all who came out to New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW) last week! Our Board Chairman Mike Eckert enjoyed breaking down the dos and don’ts of securing early-stage capital on stage Friday with other local investors.

The women of Gulf South Angels are excited to host an interactive session at the Power Up: Women's Leadership Conference by the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce next week! 📅 Date: Thursday, April 3rd ⏰ Time: 10:45 AM – 11:45 AM 📍 Location: New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, Room 206/207 This engaging workshop will provide founders with practical strategies for securing funding, navigating due diligence, and planning a successful exit. Panelists include Fern Watters, Gay Le Breton, Cynthia Pazos, Alison Hartman, Rosane Archery-McGowan, and Allison Ward. Join us for expert insights from seasoned investors and successful entrepreneurs who know what it takes to scale and exit profitably.

Our Board Chairman, Mike Eckert, was recently interviewed on WWNO's Out to Lunch podcast on angel investing. "The last time we met Mike was 2014. At that time he was launching a New Orleans angel investment group called NOLA Angel Network. That was to become the nucleus of the current, much larger organization. Gulf South Angels network is spread across 12 states. There are around 135 angel members. And to date they’ve invested over $20m in a diverse range of companies, from aerospace to pet food." Listen to the full interview at the link below:

Heading to New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW) next week? Don’t miss these two must-attend panels with our Board Chairman Mike Eckert: 🗓️ Monday, March 25 | 5:00 - 7:00 PM 📍 Xavier University Convocation Center, Room 111 👉 New Orleans BioInnovation Center presents BioSpark: Igniting Your Biotech Venture: join Mike and local healthcare leaders as they dive into what it takes to launch and scale a biotech startup. 🗓️ Friday, March 28 | 12:40 - 1:20 PM 📍 Loyola University | NOEW Summit 👉 The Friends and Family You Don't Have: The New Orleans Early Stage VC Ecosystem: local investors will break down the dos and don’ts of securing early-stage capital.

Last week for International Women's Day, GSA board member Alison Hartman appeared on KLFY NEWS 10 to discuss the work our female members are doing to help close the gender gap in investing and entrepreneurship.  We want to create a space where women feel confident stepping into the startup ecosystem as investors. If you're a woman who has been thinking about angel investing, learn more about becoming a member at gulfsouthangels.com. Watch the full interview below!

We’re honored to be included in the March Entrepreneurship Issue of Biz New Orleans Magazine alongside local investors including the Flamingo Funders, New Orleans Startup Fund, and Callais Capital. The feature, "Who's Making Startup Investments Locally and What Do They Look For," shines a light on the thriving investment community in our region. Our Board Chairman, Mike Eckert, shared insights into what Gulf South Angels looks for in potential investments: “First, the management. We want to get a real feel for the team, the culture, the board, the investors, and the advisors. The second thing we look at is the market—the opportunity, size, trends, competition, competitive advantage, pricing, partnerships, and more.” Read the full article at the link below.

Meet the Board: Mike Eckert 🤝 Gulf South Angels is led by experienced investors and business leaders who are passionate about supporting innovation and entrepreneurship. First up in our Meet the Board series: Mike Eckert, Founder & Chairman. Mike’s career has been defined by vision and leadership. As part of the founding team of The Weather Channel and Weather.com, he played a key role in launching one of the most recognizable brands in media, serving as CEO for 14 years. He has also chaired the Atlanta Technology Angels, served as a Fellow in Georgia Tech’s Venture Lab, and advised countless startups and investors. Mike brings his decades of experience in leadership, investment, and business strategy to help connect high-potential startups with the capital and mentorship they need to grow.

Gulf South Angels is proud to announce our investment in NuvOx Therapeutics, a cutting-edge biotechnology company developing a first-in-class oxygen therapeutic to treat life-threatening diseases where hypoxia plays a role. With promising results from over 30 preclinical studies and early-stage clinical trials in stroke and oncology, NuvOx is now preparing for a Phase IIa trial in COVID-19 patients with Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure (AHRF). Their groundbreaking approach has the potential to make a significant impact in critical care medicine. We are thrilled to support NuvOx on its journey to revolutionize oxygen therapy and improve patient outcomes. Learn more about their work: nuvoxpharma.com