Greater New Orleans, Inc. CEO and President Michael Hecht and BENZAIT CEO Ralph Whalen announced the company will open its headquarters office in New Orleans and create up to 10 new direct jobs by the close of 2021.
BENZAIT, a New Orleans based technology company, launched at the end of 2020. BENZAIT provides business-to-business services focused on three key areas: data intelligence, data infrastructure, and enterprise app development. All BENZAIT services are offered through monthly subscriptions that allow clients to undertake significant reporting, development, and information management initiatives with minimal upfront investment and high scalability.
The 10 new direct jobs will provide an average annual salary of $75,000, plus benefits. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will result in an additional 13 new indirect jobs, for a total of 23 new jobs in Southeast Louisiana.
“I am proud to launch BENZAIT in my hometown, knowing that New Orleans is transforming as one of the top tech hubs in the nation,” said New Orleans native Ralph Whalen, BENZAIT CEO. “The city’s ability to retain and attract top talent will help us grow our product development and headquarters teams. Greater New Orleans, Inc. helped us realize the programs available to a technology company like ours, allowing us to accelerate our hiring goals and increasing our local footprint.”
“A technology company like BENZAIT can work from almost anywhere, but they chose New Orleans,” said President and CEO Michael Hecht of Greater New Orleans Inc. “This is validation that our region is an ideal location to launch a tech startup, with low costs, high culture, and a reliable talent pipeline. We are thrilled to welcome BENZAIT to Greater New Orleans.”
Greater New Orleans, Inc. started discussing BENZAIT’s talent needs mid-2020 while the company continues to evaluate the state software development incentive program – the most aggressive program in the nation.
BENZAIT is currently hiring for developers with additional roles opening throughout the year. The company’s broader mission is to provide the lowest barriers possible to the use of technology to create value from information and ideas. BENZAIT employs a consultative approach, identifying business problems, paths to resolution, and implementing solutions while guiding customers towards industry best practices. Ralph Whalen states, “every company is in the data business now whether they realize it or not. Our goal at BENZAIT is to help our customers better monetize their information. We’ve structured our services in a way that allows us to help everyone from large and technologically advanced organizations to companies that are just starting to organize and use information on hand.”
“Louisiana’s innovative IT incentives for software and digital interactive media companies continue to attract growing tech firms to our state,” LED Secretary Don Pierson said. “BENZAIT’s utilization of data-as-a-service applications holds significant potential not only for its clients in health care, but also in other enterprise sectors as well. LED’s incentives and our partnerships with Louisiana’s education providers will fuel BENZAIT and support the company’s plans for rapid growth and development.”
“The New Orleans Business Alliance is delighted to welcome BENZAIT and its team to New Orleans!” said Quentin Messer, New Orleans Business Alliance CEO & President. “New Orleans continues to attract technology innovators and entrepreneurs, and BENZAIT’s decision to establish its headquarters here shows our talent, culture, creative tradition and incentives offer an attractive value proposition for innovative companies. The New Orleans Business Alliance looks forward to working with BENZAIT to ensure they have access to the talent needed for success and grow successfully in their new home for many years to come.”