Tipzy Wins Big at Ignition’s 2024 Demo Day during the 13th Annual Baton Rouge Entrepreneurship Week

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: For more information, contact Stephen Loy at stephen@nexusla.org or 225.205.4106

Baton Rouge, LA - Baton Rouge Entrepreneurship Week commenced on Tuesday, May 7th, reaching its pinnacle that evening with a Demo Day marking the conclusion of Ignition 2.0, an eight-week accelerator program tailored to empower budding entrepreneurs in commercializing their technology. The program is run by NexusLA and its partner LSU Innovation Park. Eight emerging startups took center stage at the new Mid City Tower to pitch their innovations and forge connections with investors and community leaders.

Tipzy, founded by Josh McCoy, emerged as the winner among startups from diverse industries such as data analytics, real estate, and clothing. The victory secured a $10,000 prize from Innovation Catalyst, a Louisiana-based venture development organization. Tipzy simplifies music management and song requests for bars and nightlife venues by allowing patrons to request songs from musicians or venue playlists for a fee. The app's inception stemmed from a single night's unpleasant experience at a bar, sparking a transformative phone call. Tipzy aims to enhance the ambiance in bars, ensuring unforgettable experiences for patrons by curating their ideal vibes.

"Reflecting on our journey, we initially anticipated facing skepticism and doubts," explained Tipzy Co-founder Josh McCoy. "However, with the invaluable support of mentors such as Stephen Loy and Paul Barrial, alongside the unwavering dedication of our team, we've adeptly navigated challenges into opportunities. Their guidance and the hard work of every Tipzy member have been crucial to our success.”

Ignition 2.0 is an in-person program designed to guide entrepreneurs through the commercialization process of building their companies. Ideal participants in Ignition 2.0 are technology-enabled companies that have progressed beyond the idea and market confirmation stages into product development.

Founder & CEO Barret Blondeau with Falaya, Founder & CEO Tony Henderson with Bakery Broadband, and Innovation Catalyst CEO Bill Ellison served as judges, selecting the company demonstrating the utmost viability and scalability.

"Celebrating the remarkable endeavors of these startups, it's inspiring to witness their innovative solutions addressing both emerging and existing challenges," remarked Bill Ellison. "We eagerly anticipate nurturing their continued growth through our coaching, capital, and network support."

Each team was paired with an assigned mentor, including: Jay Robicheaux with Robicheaux Financial, Bethany Robicheaux with LSU Foundation, Brandon Foreman with the Family Resource Group Inc., and Quintarius “Q” Queen with the Clever Group.

McCoy expresses gratitude for the $10,000 award from Nexus Louisiana and Innovation Catalyst, which will be pivotal for the launch at 15 bars in August. These funds will be allocated towards marketing efforts within these bars and to support an ambassador program promoting the app on college campuses.

In the future, Tipzy plans to officially launch across three college campuses—Louisiana Tech, LSU, and Tulane—in August, with further expansion to additional campuses slated for January. The team is actively signing up more bars interested in utilizing the Tipzy platform.

Ignition 2.0 is sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Louisiana Economic Development, Stone Pigman, and Innovation Catalyst. For more information about Nexus Louisiana refer to nexusla.org.

About Nexus Louisiana: Nexus Louisiana is a Baton Rouge-based 501(c)3 nonprofit that provides high-potential, technology-enabled companies with the coaching, capital, and connections they need to accelerate their growth.

About Innovation Catalyst: Innovation Catalyst is a non-profit venture development organization formed by community leaders to strengthen and broaden Louisiana’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. It manages The Catalyst Fund, a non-profit, evergreen fund offering capital investment and development support for Louisiana-based entrepreneurs to bring their ideas to life.