Wednesday, June 1, 2022
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Join us on June 1st for The Water Challenge by Propeller and Thrive New Orleans, presented by the Greater New Orleans Foundation, sponsored by JPMorgan Chase AdvancingCities, New Orleans Business Alliance, Entergy, and City of New Orleans.

When: Wednesday, June 1st, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Where: 2000 Lakeshore Drive, University of New Orleans, Senator Ted Hickey Ballroom and live streaming via Propeller’s Facebook Page

Event Overview:
4-6 Startup ventures will present their ideas for solving problems in these major challenge areas: Urban Water Management, Green Infrastructure, Sustainability, and Coastal Restoration.

Water Challenge 2022 will host a panel discussion of industry leaders featuring growth stage entrepreneurs working in the fields of green infrastructure and urban stormwater management. Join us to experience groundbreaking innovation in these fields and hear from industry leaders as we explore solutions to the most pressing water-related issues facing New Orleans!

Prizes:
Over $15,000 in prizes to be distributed with the grand prize being $10,000. Participate in voting for your favorite venture to win the Audience Favorite Award of an additional $500!

Competing Finalists:
Delta Builds (Dorothy Nairne, Leonard Guillory) Enterprises is a New Orleans based company that strives to be the premier supplier of eco-friendly building materials, glass containers and household products all manufactured from recycled materials that are transformed into sand and gravel for stormwater management and flood prevention.

Flourish Horticulture (Fabian Harper) is a certified DBE bio-friendly and environmentally conscious lawn, garden, and landscape construction company that uses only battery powered equipment and seeks to improve soil structure, water quality and efficiency, outdoor air quality, and increase aesthetic value.

Gro Enterprises (Joel Holton) seeks to provide healthy, sustainable, affordable housing units to low and moderate income families using industrial hemp based building materials that regulate indoor humidity and provide a healthier indoor air quality; Gro Enterprises uses green infrastructure to regulate and mitigate water on the properties.

Groundwater Studio (Michael Biros) provides landscape architecture and adaptation planning services to help communities mitigate and adapt to ecological challenges with a foundation rooted in place, context, self-determination and health. Groundwater Studio aims to build a modular, prefabricated stormwater retention and treatment system for elevated highways.

Garden Picasso (Preston Robinson) uses green infrastructure techniques with installations that retain and mediate local watershed runoff, reducing the workload on the drainage system. Garden Picasso aims to create a lot sized bioretention area disguised as a residential mixed use property and community garden.

Judges:
Monique Bassey, Louisiana State University Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture
Brenda Breaux, NORA
Jeff Hebert, Greater New Orleans Foundation