Code Team Blue | New Orleans Business & Technology
Updated September 20, 2026
New Orleans has always been a city where business and social connections go hand in hand. Whether you’re attending a major technology conference at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, meeting other entrepreneurs at a downtown networking event, or making new contacts over lunch in the French Quarter, there are plenty of opportunities to expand your professional network.
As we move into the final months of 2026, New Orleans is preparing to welcome conferences covering artificial intelligence, enterprise software, financial services, construction, entrepreneurship, and other industries.
For those of us working in software development, web design, digital marketing, and IT services, these events offer opportunities to meet potential clients, explore new technologies, and reconnect with the local business community.
At Code Team Blue, we’ve been involved in software development and the New Orleans business community for more than two decades. Although much of our work can be performed remotely, there’s still something valuable about meeting other business owners and technology professionals in person.
The fall 2026 conference calendar provides several opportunities to do exactly that.
There is also a less welcome development affecting the city’s business community: prolonged road construction in the French Quarter. Projects along Decatur and St. Peter streets have disrupted access to local businesses, leading to financial difficulties, a business-assistance program, and legal action.
In this article, we’ll look at upcoming New Orleans business and technology conferences, smaller local networking opportunities, and what’s happening with the French Quarter construction projects as the city heads toward the end of 2026.
Upcoming New Orleans Technology and Business Conferences: Fall 2026
Centric Connect 2026 – October 6–7, 2026
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Centric Connect is a technology-focused user conference bringing together business leaders, software professionals, and organizations that use Centric Software’s enterprise platforms.
The 2026 event focuses on improving how companies manage their products and business operations, including product development, pricing, planning, and the use of connected software systems.
Attendees can participate in practical sessions, exchange ideas with other enterprise software users, and learn about approaches to improving business processes through technology.
The conference also includes an evening networking event and an off-site experience in the French Quarter.
This is primarily a conference for Centric Software customers and industry partners, rather than a general public technology expo.
Centric Software
Visit the Centric Connect 2026 conference website
OFN42: Opportunity Finance Network Conference – October 20–23, 2026
Location: New Orleans Marriott and Sheraton New Orleans, Canal Street
New Orleans will host the 42nd annual Opportunity Finance Network Conference, bringing together more than 2,100 professionals involved in community development finance.
The event focuses on economic development, small-business financing, affordable housing, investment, and expanding access to capital.
Attendees include community development financial institutions, investors, lenders, financial service providers, and organizations involved in supporting underserved communities.
The 2026 conference features educational sessions, networking opportunities, workshops, and an exhibition area.
An interesting aspect of this year’s event is that the conference will use two major hotels across from each other on Canal Street, giving attendees access to several days of programming without relying on the Convention Center.
Visit the OFN42 conference website
New Orleans Investment Conference – October 28–31, 2026
Location: Hilton New Orleans Riverside
The New Orleans Investment Conference returns in late October, bringing together investors, economists, financial professionals, and companies involved in the investment industry.
The conference includes presentations and panel discussions covering financial markets, economic trends, investment strategies, precious metals, and other topics related to investing.
Its 2026 schedule includes speakers such as Peter Schiff, Danielle DiMartino Booth, Grant Williams, and other financial commentators and industry professionals.
In addition to the presentations, attendees can participate in workshops, visit the exhibition area, and meet other people working in financial services and investment-related businesses.
For New Orleans business owners, conferences like this also demonstrate the city’s ability to attract established industry events that bring professional visitors into the local hospitality and business community.
Visit the New Orleans Investment Conference website
The Blueprint Conference – October 29, 2026
Location: New Orleans Marriott Warehouse Arts District, 859 Convention Center Boulevard
The Blueprint Conference brings together professionals involved in construction, engineering, architecture, real estate development, insurance, and related industries.
The 2026 program includes discussions about economic development in the New Orleans region, construction project management, legal and insurance issues, and the use of artificial intelligence in the construction industry.
The conference includes an AI integration session focused on how construction businesses can incorporate artificial intelligence into their operations.
Other sessions explore project planning, construction management, and issues affecting the delivery of major development projects.
For technology companies, the construction industry presents opportunities involving project management software, mobile applications, digital inspections, reporting systems, and other business tools.
The event also includes scheduled networking breaks, lunch, and an afternoon reception.
The Blueprint Conference
Visit the Blueprint Conference website
SAPinsider Summit New Orleans – October 29–30, 2026
Location: Hilton New Orleans Riverside, 2 Poydras Street
The SAPinsider Summit is an enterprise technology conference designed for organizations using SAP business software.
The 2026 New Orleans event focuses on modernizing enterprise resource planning systems, cloud migration, data management, artificial intelligence, and business process transformation.
The conference includes more than 30 planned sessions and labs across three tracks, with opportunities for attendees to meet SAP practitioners, technology professionals, and industry solution providers.
For software developers and IT professionals working with enterprise applications, API integrations, database systems, and business automation, the event covers technologies and implementation challenges that affect organizations of many different sizes.
The summit also offers networking receptions and opportunities to meet other professionals working on enterprise technology projects.
Visit the SAPinsider New Orleans Summit website
Black Tech NOLA AI & Creator Summit – November 7, 2026
Time: 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Location: Gallier Hall, 545 St. Charles Avenue
Artificial intelligence is having a growing impact on software development, marketing, content creation, and everyday business operations.
The Black Tech NOLA AI & Creator Summit brings these topics together with New Orleans’ creative and cultural communities.
Organized by NOLAvate Black, the 2026 summit features AI demonstrations, presentations, workshops, and opportunities to connect with technology professionals, entrepreneurs, creators, employers, and students.
The program includes discussions about AI and the future of work, health technology, gaming, emerging media, and ways to use technology to create new business opportunities.
The event also incorporates a student AI hackathon, with participating teams presenting their projects during the summit.
For local developers, entrepreneurs, and creative professionals interested in exploring AI applications, this is an opportunity to connect with people working at the intersection of technology and New Orleans culture.
The organizers list the event as free and open to the public, with registration available online.
Visit the Black Tech NOLA website
Louisiana IT Symposium – November 17, 2026
Time: 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Location: Higgins Hotel and Conference Center, 1000 Magazine Street
The Louisiana IT Symposium is a one-day conference designed for IT executives, technology managers, and other professionals responsible for business technology systems.
The event focuses on technology management, emerging tools, business technology strategies, and the challenges organizations face when maintaining and improving their IT infrastructure.
Attendees can participate in presentations, meet technology solution providers, and connect with other IT professionals from the region.
For those working in software development, network administration, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and IT consulting, the symposium provides opportunities to learn about the technology challenges facing businesses across Louisiana.
The 2026 program includes speakers from the technology and innovation fields, along with networking sessions and opportunities to meet participating vendors.
Visit the Louisiana IT Symposium website
New Orleans Business Networking Events: November and December 2026
Not every networking opportunity requires attending a large conference.
As the holiday season approaches, several local business organizations are scheduling smaller events where entrepreneurs, consultants, and business owners can connect with other professionals.
New Orleans Chamber of Commerce Power Hour – November 10 and December 1, 2026
The New Orleans Chamber of Commerce continues its monthly Power Hour networking events throughout the final months of 2026.
Power Hour is designed around business-to-business networking, with participants given an opportunity to introduce themselves, describe their businesses, and explain the services they provide.
The format can be particularly useful for small-business owners who want to meet other local professionals without attending a large, multi-day conference.
The Chamber has scheduled Power Hour events for November 10 and December 1, along with other networking opportunities throughout the fall.
New Orleans Chamber Annual Meeting – December 9, 2026
The New Orleans Chamber of Commerce has also scheduled its annual meeting for December 9, 2026.
The annual meeting provides an opportunity for local business owners and professionals to connect with the Chamber and other members of the New Orleans business community.
For companies interested in building relationships with other local businesses, Chamber events can provide opportunities to meet people from industries outside their own.
View the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce events calendar
More Local Networking Opportunities in New Orleans
For an even more local approach to networking, there are plenty of opportunities outside the major conferences and Chamber events.
Small-business meetups, professional association meetings, startup gatherings, charity events, sports leagues, and other community activities can all provide opportunities to meet new people.
We covered several of these options in our 2025 article, including Strive Networking, the Chamber’s Power Hour events, Startup NOLA, local Meetup groups, and some less conventional ways of building business relationships in New Orleans.
For more ideas about connecting with other local business owners, read our previous article:
New Orleans Business Networking Events – Our 2025 Guide
For the remainder of 2026, it is also worth keeping an eye on Startup NOLA and The Idea Village for additional startup, entrepreneurship, and technology-related activities in the New Orleans area.
French Quarter Road Construction: How It’s Affecting New Orleans Businesses in 2026
While New Orleans continues to attract conferences and business travelers, the French Quarter has been dealing with a very different kind of business challenge.
Anyone who has visited Lower Decatur Street recently has probably noticed construction fencing, road closures, torn-up streets, and temporary pedestrian walkways.
The construction has been particularly disruptive for businesses that depend on foot traffic, including restaurants, bars, retail shops, and other establishments serving tourists and local residents.
For some businesses, the project has become much more than an inconvenience.
What’s Happening on Decatur and St. Peter Streets?
The Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans has been working on a major infrastructure improvement project involving the 900 through 1100 blocks of Decatur Street and the 600 block of St. Peter Street.
The project includes replacing approximately 115-year-old water transmission mains, along with improvements to water distribution, drainage, sewer lines, street pavement, and sidewalks.
Some of the original water infrastructure dates back to 1906 and 1908.
The work is part of a larger, federally funded infrastructure recovery program intended to improve the reliability of New Orleans’ aging underground utility systems.
The improvements are intended to address infrastructure needs that affect residents and businesses throughout the city.
However, the prolonged construction has created serious problems for the businesses operating directly above the work.
Construction Delays, Lost Revenue, and Business Closures
For a restaurant or retail business in the French Quarter, visibility and pedestrian access are extremely important.
When a storefront is hidden behind construction fencing or pedestrians have difficulty reaching an entrance, customers may simply continue walking to another business.
The Decatur Street project has presented these challenges for much of the past year.
In June 2026, local businesses reported significant revenue losses resulting from construction delays, blocked access, and the prolonged presence of barricades.
Cafe Sbisa, a historic French Quarter restaurant, announced its closure in June after more than a century in business. The restaurant cited the ongoing construction as a reason it could no longer continue operating.
Other business owners reported that their sales had fallen substantially while the construction continued.
The situation also resulted in legal action.
On June 26, 2026, a group of French Quarter businesses filed a lawsuit against the Sewerage and Water Board, alleging that the prolonged construction and access restrictions had caused substantial financial harm.
The dispute highlights the difficulties involved in carrying out major infrastructure improvements in a historic commercial district where small businesses depend on customers being able to reach their storefronts.
New Orleans Creates a $200,000 Business Assistance Fund
In response to the economic disruption, the City of New Orleans announced a $200,000 Business Stabilization Fund on June 24, 2026.
The program was designed to provide financial assistance to eligible businesses along affected sections of Decatur and St. Peter streets.
Depending on the size of the business, eligible recipients could receive a one-time payment of $2,500 or $5,000.
The program was intended to help businesses experiencing revenue losses associated with the construction and support their continued operations.
By August 2026, the city had awarded $97,500 in assistance to 26 affected businesses, according to a report from New Orleans CityBusiness.
Is the French Quarter Construction Finally Nearing Completion?
There has been some progress.
By August 2026, crews had completed significant portions of the Decatur Street paving work, including the 1100 block and intersections near Governor Nicholls and Ursulines streets.
Some of the construction fencing had also been removed, improving pedestrian access and storefront visibility.
The Sewerage and Water Board reported that roadway paving had been completed along the 1000 and 1100 blocks of Decatur Street, while additional water-main work and restoration remained on the 900 block.
Work on St. Peter Street had also advanced, with roadway paving completed and sidewalk restoration underway.
Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans
As of September 2026, the Sewerage and Water Board’s published schedule anticipated completion of the remaining project work by late fall, weather permitting.
The Sewerage and Water Board maintains information about the project on its official website.
View the French Quarter Transmission Main Project updates
What About Royal Street and Other Parts of the French Quarter?
Decatur Street is not the only area of the French Quarter affected by construction.
Portions of Royal Street have also been undergoing roadway improvements, creating additional challenges for visitors and local businesses.
However, the area remains open, and Visit New Orleans continues to encourage visitors to patronize the restaurants, shops, galleries, and other businesses operating along the street.
New Orleans Streets to Visit
For conference attendees visiting the French Quarter during the remainder of 2026, it is worth allowing some additional time when traveling between downtown hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues.
Visitors should also remember that a business located behind construction fencing may still be open.
Supporting New Orleans Businesses During Construction
The French Quarter is one of the city’s most important commercial and cultural districts, and many of its businesses operate in historic buildings with limited parking, delivery access, and space for customers to gather.
When construction disrupts access, businesses may have fewer options for temporarily relocating or changing how they operate.
For visitors attending a conference in New Orleans, supporting these businesses can be as simple as making the extra effort to reach a restaurant or shop that remains open despite nearby construction.
For local businesses, keeping customers informed through websites, social media, online business listings, and other communication channels can also help.
A restaurant might post updated directions to its entrance, explain nearby parking restrictions, or let customers know that its dining room remains open.
A retailer might promote online ordering, delivery, or alternative pickup arrangements during particularly disruptive construction periods.
These measures cannot eliminate the financial effects of prolonged road closures, but they can help customers find and continue supporting businesses while infrastructure improvements are underway.
New Orleans Remains an Important Destination for Business and Technology Conferences
Despite the French Quarter construction challenges, New Orleans continues to welcome major conferences, professional organizations, technology companies, and business travelers.
The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center remains an important part of that activity, hosting conventions and trade shows across a wide range of industries.
Beyond the major events listed above, New Orleans also welcomes conferences in healthcare, education, energy, construction, financial services, and other industries.
Visit New Orleans maintains a convention calendar that lists current and upcoming meetings, along with estimated attendance figures and industry categories.
View the New Orleans Convention Calendar
For small technology companies, independent developers, marketing agencies, and other local service providers, these conferences create opportunities to meet professionals from industries that might otherwise be difficult to reach.
A conference focused on construction, for example, may bring together companies that need custom software for inspections, project management, or field operations.
A financial services conference may attract organizations looking to improve their websites, customer portals, reporting tools, or internal business systems.
And technology conferences provide opportunities to meet other developers, learn about emerging platforms, and explore potential partnerships.
The same city that attracts visitors for Mardi Gras, jazz, food, and festivals also offers a substantial business community worth getting to know.
Looking Ahead to 2027
As New Orleans moves toward the end of 2026, the upcoming conference calendar offers plenty of opportunities to reconnect with the local business community.
We will continue following technology conferences, entrepreneurial activities, and networking opportunities throughout the New Orleans area as new events are announced.
Whether you’re attending a major conference at the Convention Center, meeting another business owner at a Chamber event, or catching up with fellow developers over coffee, building professional relationships remains an important part of doing business in New Orleans.
And with the French Quarter’s infrastructure projects approaching their anticipated completion dates, we hope the coming months bring improved access and more customers to the local businesses that have endured so much disruption during construction.
About Code Team Blue
Code Team Blue is a New Orleans-based software development company providing custom web and mobile application development, WordPress development, API integrations, AI integrations, and ongoing technical support.
With more than 20 years of software development experience, we help businesses and organizations develop new applications, modernize existing systems, and maintain the technology that supports their operations.
Visit Code Team Blue to learn more about our software development services.