About this Event
Connecting manufacturers, energy leaders, founders, and investors focused on scaling companies and market-ready IP. Powered by FUEL.
At its core, this event is about connecting the right people in Louisiana that will result in actual products, real companies, and real jobs
We’re intentionally bringing together:
• Manufacturers and operators
• Energy leaders
• Founders solving real-world problems
• Investors and ecosystem partners
• Researchers who want their work to leave the lab and hit the market
• Veteran entrepreneurs commercializing licensed technology
This includes veteran founders who have licensed intellectual property from University of Louisiana at Lafayette and federal partners — taking real research and turning it into deployable companies, products, and platforms that serve both commercial markets and national needs.
We’re also intentionally aligning innovation with Department of War / national security priorities, because the reality is simple:
If a technology can’t survive real operational environments, it’s not innovation — it’s a science project.
The goal of this event is to promote practical conversations and high-quality connections.
Think of the “Collider” as a room designed to make things happen. Instead of researchers, manufacturers, investors, and operators working in separate lanes, we’re putting them together on purpose so ideas, experience, capital, and execution collide.
Energy is the common thread. In Louisiana, energy touches nearly every industry — manufacturing, agriculture, logistics, infrastructure, and defense. Many of the most promising innovations sit right at the intersection of energy, manufacturing, and national security, and that’s exactly where this event is focused.
When we talk about “innovation” or “dual-use technology,” what we actually mean is:
• Solutions that can be built and deployed for both civilian and military use
• Improvements that make operations more efficient, resilient, and cost-effective
• Technologies that work for businesses today and strengthen Louisiana long-term
• Platforms that align with United States Department of War industry, and commercial market needs — not just grant cycles
The afternoon is designed to flow naturally into networking and follow-up conversations, including the FUEL Tank Pitch Competition at the end of the day, where founders present emerging solutions and receive direct feedback from industry leaders and investors.
Think Shark Tank — but for manufacturing, energy, national security, and real deployment
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Louisiana Entrepreneurship and Economic Development Center, 537 Cajundome Boulevard, Lafayette, United States
USD 0.00
