Federal Manufacturing Extension Partnership funding will help small and midsized Louisiana manufacturers adopt AI, robotics, automation and other advanced technologies
BATON ROUGE, La. (September 22, 2026) — Louisiana Innovation (LA.IO), a division of Louisiana Economic Development, has secured federal funding that will generate more than $15 million in manufacturing innovation investment across the state over five years.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology will provide $1.5 million annually for five years to expand Louisiana Innovation Labs through the federal Manufacturing Extension Partnership program. Required contributions from the state and participating partners will bring the initiative’s total five-year investment to more than $15 million.
As Louisiana’s designated MEP Center, LA.IO will join a nationwide network dedicated to strengthening small and midsized manufacturers through technology adoption, technical assistance and operational improvements.
“Louisiana has always built the things our country depends on, and the technologies changing how those things are made are advancing faster than ever,” LED Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois said. “This investment gives Louisiana manufacturers access to the expertise and tools they need to modernize, compete and grow while ensuring that innovation reaches businesses and workers in every region of our state.”
Louisiana Innovation Labs to Support Advanced Manufacturing
Louisiana Innovation Labs will establish a statewide network connecting manufacturers with advanced technologies and specialized expertise.
Participating businesses will receive support identifying, adopting and deploying technologies such as:
- Artificial intelligence
- Robotics and automation
- Advanced materials
- Additive manufacturing
- Biotechnology
- Predictive maintenance systems
- Automated quality-assurance tools
- Welding robotics
The program will help manufacturers evaluate their operations, identify practical technology-adoption opportunities and develop implementation strategies based on their individual needs.
Manufacturers will also be connected with technical experts, workforce training, implementation resources and potential financing to help move projects from initial assessment to deployment.
“This isn’t about telling manufacturers what they should be doing five or 10 years from now. It’s about helping them put technology to work today,” LED Chief Innovation Officer Josh Fleig said. “This award allows us to expand Louisiana Innovation Labs into a statewide framework connecting manufacturers with the technology, expertise and capital they need to solve real problems on the shop floor. We’re taking a model that is already working and scaling it across the state.”
Program Targets Louisiana’s Key Industries
Louisiana Innovation Labs will initially focus on industries critical to the state’s economy, including:
- Energy and process industries
- Agribusiness
- Aerospace and defense
- Life sciences
- Logistics
Technology recommendations and implementation support will be tailored to the operational needs of individual manufacturers and industries.
The statewide network will be coordinated by LA.IO and include the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, South Louisiana Community College, Louisiana Tech University, Louisiana Central and additional industry and technology partners.
Together, the participating organizations will connect manufacturers throughout Louisiana with advanced manufacturing technology, research capabilities, workforce expertise and other resources.
Louisiana Builds on Early Robotics Deployment
The expanded program builds on advanced manufacturing work already underway in Louisiana.
Earlier this year, LA.IO connected industrial humanoid robotics company Persona AI with SSE Steel Fabrication in St. Bernard Parish for a planned humanoid robotics deployment on the company’s production floor.
The project is expected to be among the first deployments of its kind at a small U.S. manufacturing company. It is designed to evaluate the technology under real-world production conditions and determine how robotics could address operational challenges on the shop floor.
Louisiana Innovation Labs will extend that hands-on approach to manufacturers across the state. Companies will receive assessments identifying possible technology-adoption projects and practical pathways for integrating those tools into their operations.
The initiative supports LA.IO’s broader strategy of making Louisiana’s established industries more technology-enabled by connecting companies with emerging technologies, specialized expertise and capital.
Throughout the five-year award period, LA.IO will measure technology adoption and economic outcomes to evaluate the program’s impact on Louisiana manufacturers and guide future innovation initiatives.
About LA.IO
Louisiana Innovation, or LA.IO, is a division of Louisiana Economic Development working to build a strong innovation ecosystem across the state. Through strategic investments, entrepreneurial support, commercialization initiatives, workforce development and partnerships among industry, academia and government, LA.IO helps startups launch, established companies scale and emerging technologies reach the marketplace.
By connecting innovators with capital, coaching and strategic partnerships, LA.IO supports innovation-driven economic growth and works to position Louisiana as a leading destination for entrepreneurs, researchers and technology companies. Learn more at LA.IO.
