LAFAYETTE – This afternoon, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) met with leaders of the Lafayette Regional Technology Council to discuss their efforts to encourage the growth of high-tech businesses in their community. They also discussed how the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and the Opportunity Machine incubator is supporting their efforts.
“We want the next Amazon, Google, or SpaceX to lay roots in Louisiana,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Tech entrepreneurs and academic leaders are making that possible in Acadiana. And my infrastructure bill helps by extending high-speed broadband, so high-tech businesses can emerge and our young people have the same access to online resources no matter where they live.”
During his time in Congress, Cassidy has worked to provide resources that make it possible for high-tech businesses to grow throughout Louisiana. In 2021, Cassidy secured $65 billion for broadband in his Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which will connect communities throughout America to high-speed Internet. This includes a $1.35 billion investment announced for Louisiana last year to connect 100,000 homes and 35,000 businesses.
Cassidy also secured funds in Fiscal Year 2024 for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette to help attract bio-medical start-up companies to Lafayette. He also visited FlyGuys, Inc. in February of 2022, an example of a Lafayette-based company using modern drone technology to perform aerial data collection for governmental and commercial entities.
Founded in February, the Lafayette Regional Technology Council is working to develop and retain talent in the technology sector, facilitate connections and knowledge sharing across the technology community, promote Lafayette’s technology capabilities outside the region to encourage business growth and advocate for policies that support their efforts. A 15-member Steering Committee is at the heart of the council, uniting leaders from across Lafayette’s technology landscape.
After the meeting, Cassidy took a tour of Opportunity Machine’s incubator and met young entrepreneurs building their businesses. He was welcomed to the meeting by Mr. Ben Johnson, chair of the council.
“We are grateful to Senator Cassidy for taking the time to engage in meaningful dialogue with the Lafayette Regional Technology Council about the critical role technology and innovation play in driving economic growth and ensuring our community, state and nation remain competitive in a rapidly evolving world,” said Mr. Johnson. “His willingness to listen and explore solutions reinforces the importance of investing in innovation to strengthen our future.”
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