South Louisiana Economic Council
COLAB (formerly South Louisiana Economic Council) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit regional economic development organization serving Louisiana's Bayou Region across Assumption, Lafourche, St. Mary, and Terrebonne parishes, providing business recruitment, retention, incentives administration, and coalition building as one of eight LED-designated strategic partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersThibodaux, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What South Louisiana Economic Council does
South Louisiana Economic Council, now operating as COLAB, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit regional economic development organization founded in 1983 and headquartered at NSU-Babington Hall in Thibodaux, Louisiana. It is the official regional EDO for four Bayou Region parishes—Assumption, Lafourche, St. Mary, and Terrebonne—and is one of only eight organizations in Louisiana designated as a strategic partner of Louisiana Economic Development (LED). The organization rebranded from SLEC to COLAB in 2025 following the October 2024 appointment of Christy Zeringue as President and CEO.
COLAB's core offerings comprise a portfolio of economic development services rather than a unified product: business recruitment and retention, startup and entrepreneurship support, certified sites and buildings information (via buildingsandsites.com/slec), administration of state and local business incentive programs (Enterprise Zone, Quality Jobs, Industrial Tax Exemption), strategic planning (2023-2026 Strategic Action Plan developed with Emergent Method), and convening programs including the annual Bayou Business Summit and the quarterly Bayou Region Energy Leadership Series. The organization operates through community-led and event-driven go-to-market motions, including parish-level coalition building, career fairs, Manufacturing Week, and CERAWeek participation.
Revenue is generated through a non-profit mix of membership dues, event sponsorships, public-private partnerships, and LED-aligned funding rather than fee-for-service pricing. COLAB does not sell technology products; its competitive position rests on state mandate authority (LED strategic partner designation), Gulf Coast infrastructure access (three parishes with Gulf frontage, proximity to Port Fourchon which services 99% of offshore oil and gas), and a broad coalition across energy, maritime, manufacturing, education, and finance sectors including Shell, NovaSpark Energy, Viking Attachments, Houma-Terrebonne Airport, Port Fourchon, Nicholls State University, and Fletcher Technical Community College.
South Louisiana Economic Council firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- South Louisiana Economic Council
- Legal name
- South Louisiana Economic Council
- Website
- https://bayouregion.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- COLAB (formerly South Louisiana Economic Council) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit regional economic development organization serving Louisiana's Bayou Region across Assumption, Lafourche, St. Mary, and Terrebonne parishes, providing business recruitment, retention, incentives administration, and coalition building as one of eight LED-designated strategic partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
South Louisiana Economic Council industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Economic Development Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)
Keywords
Where South Louisiana Economic Council is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Thibodaux
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
South Louisiana Economic Council business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Economic Development Services: As a non-profit EDO, COLAB operates through membership, sponsorships, and public-private partnerships rather than product revenue. Formed in 1983, the organization provides services including business recruitment and retention, startup support, data provision, and site information to support regional economic development in four Louisiana parishes.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
South Louisiana Economic Council product offering
Product offeringCore offering
South Louisiana Economic Council (now operating as COLAB) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit regional economic development organization serving the four-parish Bayou Region of Louisiana (Assumption, Lafourche, St. Mary, and Terrebonne). It provides business recruitment and retention services, site selection assistance, incentive navigation, workforce development coordination, strategic planning, and coalition building across parishes and industry sectors.
Product overview
COLAB (formerly South Louisiana Economic Council) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit economic development organization serving Louisiana's Bayou Region (Assumption, Lafourche, St. Mary, and Terrebonne parishes). Rather than a unified software product, the organization offers a portfolio of economic development services including business recruitment and retention, startup support, strategic planning, incentive administration, and workforce development programs. Key programs include the annual Bayou Business Summit conference, the Bayou Region Energy Leadership Series educational program, regional strategic planning initiatives, and business incentive programs administered in partnership with Louisiana Economic Development. The organization does not offer a technology product in the traditional SaaS sense.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Economic Development Services Comprehensive economic development services including business recruitment and retention, startup and entrepreneurship support, economic data provision, buildings and sites information, local government support, coalition building, and workforce development initiatives for the Bayou Region parishes.
- Bayou Business Summit Annual regional business conference bringing together leaders, policymakers, and professionals to discuss innovation, energy, and growth in the Bayou Region, featuring panel discussions and networking opportunities.
- Bayou Region Energy Leadership Series Quarterly education and leadership program designed to cultivate the next generation of energy leaders in the Bayou Region, featuring expert speakers, panel discussions, and field trips across the region.
- Strategic Planning Services Development and implementation of regional strategic action plans outlining economic development priorities, workforce initiatives, and long-term strategies for regional success.
- Business Incentives Administration Administration and promotion of state and local business incentive programs including Enterprise Zone, Quality Jobs, Industrial Tax Exemption, Restoration Tax Abatement, and technology commercialization programs.
- Regional Events and Career Fairs Organization and sponsorship of community events, career exploration days, job fairs, and industry-specific events supporting workforce development and regional economic growth.
Companies that use South Louisiana Economic Council
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
South Louisiana Economic Council technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
South Louisiana Economic Council partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.
- Louisiana Economic Development (LED)coreCOLAB is one of eight regional economic organizations officially designated as strategic partners in implementing LED's economic development policies and programs. This partnership enables coordination between state and regional economic development efforts.
- Nicholls State UniversitycoreRegional university offering associate, bachelor and graduate degree programs. Central to ongoing economic development with partnership in workforce alignment and the Bayou Region Energy Leadership Series.
- Fletcher Technical Community CollegecoreVocational college with campuses in Thibodaux and Galliano. Key workforce development partner with a Maritime & Shipbuilding Facility expansion seeking $12M in funding. Co-hosts annual Bayou Region Job Fair.
- South Louisiana Community College (SoLAcc)secondaryHigher education institution partnership in workforce development programs and Bayou Region Energy Leadership Series.
- Port Fourchon/Lafourche Port CommissioncorePort Fourchon is America's Gateway to the Gulf of America, servicing 99% of offshore oil and gas industry. Executive Director Chett Chiasson serves as COLAB Board President. Located in Lafourche Parish.
- Emergent MethodsecondaryLouisiana-based management consulting firm with extensive background in economic development and strategic planning. Guided COLAB's 2023-2026 Strategic Action Plan development process.
- EntergysecondaryMajor utility company and sponsor of COLAB's Strategic Action Plan. Supports regional economic development through infrastructure and energy services.
- Louisiana Workforce CommissionsecondaryState workforce agency partnering on regional job fairs and workforce development initiatives including Career Exploration Days and Manufacturing Week events.
- South Central Industrial Association (SCIA)coreRegional industrial association co-presenting the Bayou Region Energy Leadership Series, bringing together industry leaders for quarterly leadership development.
- Louisiana Future EnergycoreEnergy-focused organization co-presenting the Bayou Region Energy Leadership Series focused on cultivating next generation of energy leaders.
- AIC (Atlantic Safety Services)secondaryOrganization co-presenting the Bayou Region Energy Leadership Series supporting energy sector leadership development.
- LSU Center for Energy StudiessecondaryEducation partner in Bayou Region Energy Leadership Series providing research-informed content and subject-matter expertise on energy policy and economics.
- Houma-Terrebonne Airport CommissioncorePublic airport operator supporting offshore energy, maritime, and logistics operations. Selected for FAA's Advanced Air Mobility Integration Pilot Program, creating opportunities for Bayou Region aviation innovation.
- Bayou Region Energy Leadership Series PartnerscoreQuarterly leadership development program presented by SCIA, COLAB, AIC, and Louisiana Future Energy with participation from LSU Energy Institute. Moderated by Lori LeBlanc of Aurora Solutions Group.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
South Louisiana Economic Council competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance: Multi-parish regional EDO serving southwest Louisiana (Lake Charles area), with a closely analogous portfolio of O&G, petrochemical, and industrial recruitment work overlapping COLAB's Gulf-coast focus.
- Northeast Louisiana Economic Alliance: Regional EDO covering northeast Louisiana parishes, with a similar coalition-and-recruitment model addressing workforce, site selection, and small-business support.
- Lafayette Economic Development Authority (LEDA): Parish-level economic development authority for Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, with a comparable mix of business recruitment, incentive administration, and workforce alignment programming.
- North Louisiana Economic Partnership: Multi-parish regional EDO for north/central Louisiana, performing comparable business recruitment, retention, and workforce development functions in a different but structurally similar parish-based geography.
- Baton Rouge Area Chamber: Regional economic development and chamber organization for the Baton Rouge capital region, performing the same cluster of business recruitment, retention, and workforce-development functions across multiple parishes in Louisiana.
- GNO, Inc. Regional economic development organization for the Greater New Orleans area in Louisiana, operating under a comparable public-private EDO mandate focused on business recruitment, retention, and site selection in southeast Louisiana.
- Central Louisiana Economic Development Alliance (CLEDA): Multi-parish regional EDO for central Louisiana, with a comparable structure of parish-based economic development, incentive navigation, and workforce programming.
Regional players
- Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce: Gulf-coast regional chamber and economic development organization in Mobile, Alabama — operates a comparable port-adjacent, energy-and-manufacturing recruitment mandate across the northern Gulf.
- Coastal Bend Economic Development Corporation: Regional EDO serving the Texas Gulf Coast (Corpus Christi area), operating in a comparable Gulf-coast industrial corridor with overlapping energy and port-driven deal pipelines.
Broad incumbents
- Louisiana Economic Development (LED): State-level economic development agency in Louisiana, of which COLAB is a designated strategic-partner regional EDO; LED sets statewide policy and oversees COLAB-level counterparts across the state.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
South Louisiana Economic Council social profiles
Digital presenceSouth Louisiana Economic Council financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
South Louisiana Economic Council leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
South Louisiana Economic Council funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
South Louisiana Economic Council M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about South Louisiana Economic Council
What does South Louisiana Economic Council do?
South Louisiana Economic Council (now operating as COLAB) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit regional economic development organization serving the four-parish Bayou Region of Louisiana (Assumption, Lafourche, St. Mary, and Terrebonne). It provides business recruitment and retention services, site selection assistance, incentive navigation, workforce development coordination, strategic planning, and coalition building across parishes and industry sectors.
Is South Louisiana Economic Council a public or private company?
South Louisiana Economic Council is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was South Louisiana Economic Council founded?
South Louisiana Economic Council was founded in 1983.
Where is South Louisiana Economic Council based?
South Louisiana Economic Council is headquartered in Thibodaux, United States, in the North America region.
How does South Louisiana Economic Council make money?
One revenue line is on record: economic Development Services.
Who are South Louisiana Economic Council's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance, Northeast Louisiana Economic Alliance, Lafayette Economic Development Authority (LEDA), North Louisiana Economic Partnership, Baton Rouge Area Chamber, GNO, Inc. and Central Louisiana Economic Development Alliance (CLEDA). Regional players are Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce and Coastal Bend Economic Development Corporation. Louisiana Economic Development (LED) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does South Louisiana Economic Council have an API?
No public API is recorded for South Louisiana Economic Council.
What industry is South Louisiana Economic Council in?
South Louisiana Economic Council's product category is Economic Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIACAN, Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local).