Louisiana Tech Enterprise Center (LaTEC)

The Louisiana Tech Enterprise Center (LaTEC) opened for business in November of 2005 on the north side of the Louisiana Tech University campus. LaTEC houses the Louisiana Tech Technology Incubator (LTTI) and the Technology Business Development Center (TBDC).  As the primary business support and development outreach arm of Louisiana Tech University, LaTEC is designed to facilitate and promote the growth of new and existing ventures of the innovation enterprise in the I-20 corridor of north Louisiana.

The Enterprise Center’s incubation space and services focus on early-stage technology companies with a connection to Louisiana Tech University. In addition, the outreach activities and services of LaTEC, primarily through the TBDC, serve clients based on two factors: (1) geographic location (or prospective location) and (2) business type.  The primary service area includes 20 parishes in the I-20 corridor of north Louisiana. Under certain circumstances, this region expands to include companies or prospective companies in any other Louisiana parish or, for certain limited services, to prospective companies interested in locating in north Louisiana.  

The services of the TBDC are developed for and provided to primarily technology businesses.  A technology business is a business that derives the majority of its gross receipts from the design, development, or creation (for lease, sale or license) of technology-based products, processes, or related services.  This includes a business that (1) develops proprietary technology that contributes to a significant proportion of the revenues, (2) manufactures a technology related product, or (3) devotes a high percentage of (financial) effort to Research & Development.  The definition of a technology business can also extends to non-technology businesses to include: (1) companies that provide training to technology businesses, (2) companies that expand to include a technology product or service, or (3) companies that want to incorporate a substantial technology component into their non-technology service or product.  

Service Tiers

In addition to low-cost office space, equipment, facilities, and a synergistic work environment, LaTEC offers an extensive array of services to client businesses.  These services are organized into seven tiers:

1. Entrepreneurial Infrastructure
2. Entrepreneurship Development
3. Venture Exploration
4. Planning for Startup
5. Startup
6. Growth and Expansion
7. Exit